Shades of Grey
by Myosotis13
Summary: Last chapter, 'Aftermath', is posted! Pluto's new attack deals with most of the creatures, and the Sailor Team finishes off the last intruders. But victory always comes at a price...what will it be this time? Epilogue is up, story now COMPLETE :
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I- Morning foreshadows

Dawn broke swiftly on the city of Tokyo that chilly autumn day. The cutting breeze it brought caused the tree-branches to rustle softly. On the corner of a lateral street, a bunch of sear leaves were lifted into the air by a feeble whirlwind. They danced for a few seconds, floating silently down the road, until the wind landed them against the pole of a gate. Behind the white fence, a small house—with a peaceful air of serenity and comfort about it—basked in the cool light of the dawning sun.

A first sunray glided along the white walls, falling on one of the house windows. As it tentatively worked its way around the pink curtains, it cast a dim light inside the room. Right under the window resided a low, one-person bed—and on top of that bed resided a somewhat shapeless mound, completely covered by the sheets.

The increasingly strong sunlight fell upon the small wooden desk near the bed, and illuminated the last scribbled words of an almost-finished essay. Right next to it was an empty glass with a thin milk crust caught at the edges. The crumpled sheets of paper and the glass partially covered the pages of a thick book, yet the first part of a geometry formula was still recognizable from under the melee.

While the sunray continued its journey around the room, the mound on the bed squirmed. The covers shifted to reveal an arm, and they drew even further back to allow a blonde curl to emerge from under the pillow.

An indefinite amount of time later, the figure stirred again, and another bright yellow strand of hair appeared from beneath the blanket. It was followed by a round head, and the head—vaguely reminiscent of a dumpling, as some opined—was followed by a pair of narrow shoulders, clad in light-pink pajamas. The figure felt the warming sunlight caress its skin and hummed contentedly, squeezing its eyes shut, and lazily stretching…

"Usagi! You're still in bed? That's the fifth time I'm telling you--get up! It's past eight o'clock already!"

For a second, as long as it took for the loud echo of the words to die down in her ears, Usagi remained still. She cracked one blue eye, and the other, and slowly moved her glance around the room…until it landed on the colored clock on the wall…

"Aaaaaah!"

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In the downstairs living room, a young, pink-haired girl was just inspecting the contents of her lunch bag when the desperate cry reached her. She sniffed disdainfully and rolled her eyes, as a blonde avalanche tumbled down the stairs in a crazy haste.

"Who'd think the mighty Sailor Moon can't get up on time once in her life…" she muttered under her breath.

"Don't think I didn't hear that!" Usagi's voice came from the bathroom, muffled by the sound of the running water.

"You're worse than a baby, having to be told ten times to wake up, get dressed, get all your school stuff …"

"Chibiusa, cut it out, I'm warning you!" Usagi's head appeared in the doorway, toothpaste smearing her upper lip, while she clumsily handled a brush. The girl spotted her mother thought the kitched door, and let out a yell: "Good morning, mama!"

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Somewhere else in the city, another household had come fully awake, and was as rapidly—though perhaps not as noisily—starting to follow the daily routine.

"Good morning, Haruka-papa", a voice called out loudly in the sunny kitchen.

Lifting her eyes from the steaming cup of coffee, Haruka Tenoh let out a small chuckle at the sight of her partner, Michiru.

"You really are serious about teaching her to call us that, aren't you?"

The young woman smiled. She looked down at the bright face of the baby girl she held in her arms, and her smile became wider. Little Hotaru truly was a wonderful child, peaceful and playful, and her presence had brought an air of familiarity and comfort to the house where the four warriors known as the Sailor Soldiers of the Outer Solar System dwelled.

"But of course…" She raised her eyes again to meet Haruka's, with a slightly questioning air. "Unless you have a better suggestion…?"

In reply, her partner gave a slight bow of her head, and brought the coffee cup to her lips again. She watched Michiru warm up the bottle for Hotaru, and wondered if it was truly possible even for soldiers such as themselves to lead a normal—even, dare she say it, happy—life. Lately, nothing seemed to disturb the safety of the Earth, or even that of the residents of the city of Tokyo. And as week after eventless week passed by, their awareness had somehow dimmed, as the three outer senshi had settled into a comfortable life devoted to baby Hotaru, to keeping a watchful eye on the Princess—and to themselves.

Haruka enjoyed the strong-flavored liquid in her mouth, and wondered what else she could wish for. As she did every morning, she fought away the thoughts that their current lives were nothing but a short respite between two battles. That kind of thoughts cast shadows on her otherwise light mood, and she always strived to keep them at bay. Although, deep inside, she wondered if there was some intuition that kept them resurfacing so often. Thoughts of…

"Ouch!"

The light cry that came from Michiru tore Haruka from her ruminations. She directed a quizzical look towards the young woman, who was forcefully blowing air towards the tip of her finger, while the baby watched with interest. The short-haired warrior couldn't stifle a small laugh, which was rewarded with a somewhat menacing glare from her partner.

"Oh, you think this is funny, do you?" Michiru said in that sweet tone of hers, that could hide a promise, as well as a threat, and whose meaning one could not hope of deciphering unless one knew her extremely well.

Fortunately, Haruka did know her well enough to be fairly certain there was no need for evasive action at the present moment. However, she felt it was safer to put on a serious mien. She loudly cleared her throat, and displayed a most solicitous expression:

"Would you like me to take on this dangerous task, so you sustain…" she fought to kept a straight face, but the beginning of a smile already tugged at the corners of her lips, "…no further…" her chest shook with barely suppressed chuckles, "…injuries…?"

"Well…if you really do want to help…" Michiru said softly.

Less than a second later, she had deposited the little bundle in Haruka's arms, and greatly enjoyed the expression—of surprise, mixed with uneasiness and amusement—on the blonde's face. It was already a known fact that, while Haruka obviously cared for Hotaru as much as all of them, she was vastly uncomfortable when it came to coming close to the baby. The young woman's troubled expression whenever she found herself holding the little one had been the subject of many jokes among the two other inhabitants of the household.

As the last thought crossed her mind, a look of confusion crossed Michiru's face.

"What…?" Haruka's inquiry, though unfinished, was enough to show she was sensitive to perceive the other's shift in emotion.

"I was just wondering…have you seen Setsuna-chan today?"

"It's a little strange she hasn't come downstairs yet…" Haruka admitted, "but it's not the first time a person sleeps in…" she finished, with a shrug.

"I suppose so", her partner replied with a slight shake of her head. "I guess I'm used to the four of has having breakfast together."

"We're not in hurry, we can just wait for her to wake up and join us."

A small wail of protest came from Hotaru, and the little girl gripped Haruka's sleeve and tugged vehemently. The gesture prompted another round of laughter.

"Maybe you can wait…" Michiru said amusedly, reaching for the milk bottle.

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She couldn't wait for the bell to ring. The morning sunlight hurt her eyes, and the girl was forced to turn her head away from the window. She silently scolded herself for having chosen such a poor seat in today's class of World History, as she should have realized the sun fell directly on her chair. But she absolutely loved sitting by the window in every class, as she could sometimes sneak glances outside. The bright colors of nature, the relaxed gestures of people who strolled about the schoolyard, the slight flutter of leaves in the wind, they always cheered her up and gave her a sense of inner balance that followed her throughout the day. Her connection to nature was important to the girl.

However, she wished she had had the inspiration of moving two seats back. Maybe she would have spent less time shielding her eyes from the sunlight, and more listening to the teacher's lesson on the Age of Renaissance.

Makoto shifted in her seat, and felt the eyes of some of her classmates on her. She hated the feeling, but could not blame them for giving her strange looks. She had squirmed for the past twenty minutes, and the damn chair creaked with every move. That had even won her some reproving glances from the teacher—although he had, thankfully, not made any observation out loud. The last thing she needed was everyone's attention on her.

She really disliked being the center of attention—probably because her figure and her skills usually made her so. She used to hate being so tall—until she had discovered the many advantages her strength and height brought her. Still, some of her old fixations still manifested every now and then: she was always extra-careful around others, as if afraid her own power would end up hurting them some way or another. Of course, the fact that she could, single-handedly beat up three boys did not do much to allay those concerns. Luckily, they surfaced less and less often, since she had recovered her memories as Sailor Jupiter. She could not afford to be concerned about having too much strength when outer-world enemies ganged up on the Sailor Team.

Makoto suddenly realized the thought of their enemies had brought a menacing frown to her face, and she quickly stole a few glances around, just to make sure no one had noticed. Thankfully, her classmates' attention was, for the most part, directed at the teacher.

She shook her head to drive away all thoughts of former battles. There was no use to dwell on them in such peaceful times. With a small sigh, the girl turned her head away from the offending sunlight again, and started taking notes, longing for an inch of shadow.

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As the shadow crept nearer, the warrior felt her hands begin to shake. She tried to draw back from the approaching darkness, but it enveloped her from all sides, trapping her inside a black, silent sphere. The air grew cold as she broke into a desperate run. But the shadow closed in on her, ominous and confining. Her eyes widened, trying to pierce the blackness, but her vision was slowly darkening. She clasped her fists, almost hoping to capture the last remaining shimmer of light between her two hands forcefully pressed together. Yet the shadow was unrelenting. It wrapped itself around her, until she could see nothing more than an endless void, hear nothing more than her own screaming voice…

Setsuna woke up abruptly, involuntarily cringing as she expected to hear the scream pierce the silence of her bedroom.

For a moment, silence surrounded her, and the young woman felt herself surrendering to terror. She fought for a grip on reality.

The loud knock on the door was her rescue.

"Setsuna-chan…?" came a muffled voice from outside her room. A second knock followed.

She took a deep breath, and stood up, glad to notice the momentary shaking was gone.

"Just a moment", she replied in as normal a voice as she could muster. Quickly, she pulled on a crimson robe, and took a moment to open the windows. The sunlight that invaded the room acted as a balm that quenched some of her uneasiness. Maybe it had been a simple dream after all.

"Come in", Setsuna spoke again, turning as the door opened.

Michiru stood in the doorway, wearing a small, almost apologetic smile.

"Good morning", she greeted with a bow of her head. A quick glance at her friend told her something was amiss, but she could not put her finger on it. "I don't mean to disturb you…I mean…we didn't want to start breakfast without you..."

She studied Setsuna's face for a second, but the other sailor had placed herself right in front of the open window, so that her face was hard to make out against the strong light. For a second, Michiru considered asking outright if something was wrong…and decided against it. Keeping a small distance from people and events was more her stile, and prying definitely did not fit her. For the moment, she preferred to assume the role of an observer—if the situation called, she would do more later.

"Well, in fact, Hotaru broke the habit…she really can be most persuasive when it comes to getting her milk bottle!" she said with a smirk.

A fleeting smile appeared on Setsuna's lips.

"Who can blame her?" she wondered aloud, "I've been rather lazy this morning…thank you for waiting for me!" She took a few steps towards Michiru. "I'll be down in just a second."

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A.N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it:) Hugs!


	2. Excitement Upcoming

**AN: Thank you very much for taking the time to read, and please know any comments or ideas are appreciated. **

**On a different note, I have written some explanations into the story towards the end of this chapter, regarding the place and time the events in this story will be taking place, and what has been happening to everyone after the events in the S-Season. I hope you enjoy this new chapter! **

**Chapter II-Excitemen upcoming**

As Haruka had put it, everyone was bound to sleep in, one day or another. It was nothing out of the ordinary.

Nor was it extraordinary for Michiru's talisman mirror to sometimes show flashes of danger…after all, there was enough evil in the world without any supernatural or extraterrestrial enemies. But such petty threats were not usually their concern.

Furthermore, it was not unusual for the blue-haired girl to get indistinct feelings of uneasiness. Or for the news to report random attacks around the city—again, there was evil in the hearts of humans, too. It was only normal.

Then again, when all those things came together…

Michiru frowned. She was not a big believer in coincidences.

"What a coincidence!"

Haruka lowered the paper she'd been reading, with a delighted smile.

"Ryou Tsumbono is in town this whole week! Remember him, Michiru?" She looked at her partner across the breakfast table, while pouring herself another cup of coffee.

The young woman let out a small groan. She passed a hand through her aquamarine hair, and idly wondered if the whole universe conspired against her.

"Yes, I do. Not quite as fondly as you, though."

"Oh?" The—usually genial—girl's expressed displeasure piqued Setsuna's interest. She had been quiet for most of the meal, still reflecting about her nightmare. Now she considered it was time to take part in the conversation, as she did not wish to raise the others' suspicions. "Do I detect a story behind this Ryou Tsumbono…?" she inquired, feigning a cheerful interest she was far from feeling.

"No".

"Oooh, yes."

The two replies had come simultaneously, and were shortly followed by a warning glare, respectively a wide grin.

"He is a young botanist Haruka and I have met some time ago" Michiru provided, and her sharp glare was an obvious warning that that was an issue better left alone.

The name triggered some bells in Setsuna's memory.

"Wait…you mean…_the _Ryou Tsumbono?" Her interest went up a notch. "The developer on the Tsumbono hybrid plants? The one who came up with the theory of a new type of interaction between the mem…"

"…the members of the same biotope, yes, yes. He's the one." Michiru said dismissively.

"But he's one of the most famous researchers in the country in his field! I'd say he's even known worldwide for the hybrids he grew in his laboratory…"

"He wasn't quite that famous when we met him…", Haruka provided.

"…not that you could tell that from the way he acted…" Michiru interjected, drawing a smile from an amused Setsuna.

"I don't think he'd made his discovery public at that time", the blonde continued. "He'd probably thought of it…but wasn't sure what to do with it. He was like that when we met…had a wide array of interests…"

"…or so he claimed to every woman on a ten-mile radius…"

"…not only in the field of science—zoology and botany. He also tried gardening and garden designing…I think gardens with his signature were quite popular for a while…"

"…no account for taste, of course…"

"…but above all, he was one hell of a racer!" Haruka finished with a broad smile. "We raced a couple of times and he gave me a run for my money."

"Though he thought the stakes ran higher than just that…" Michiru commented, the beginning of a smile pushing the corners of her lips upward.

"Jealous?" the blonde quipped.

The chitchat distracted Setsuna from her gloomy thoughts. By the light of day, the memory of her disturbing dream seemed hazy and distant, although a trace of the sheer panic she had felt still lingered. She forced her mind away from it, and focused on her friends' discussion once more.

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Focusing in a class was not usually an issue for her. But today…today was different, somehow. She had successfully gone through three lessons without actually paying any attention, and she was well on the way to adding a fourth one to the list. First it had been the sun in her eyes…then the memory of that interesting article on the upcoming solar eclipse…then that cute guy, who looked so much like her last boyfriend…then…

Makoto sighed and shook her head. At the front of the class, the physics teacher explained the mechanisms of an eclipse, and its effects in terms of magnetism and gravity fields. The girl tried to pay attention, but her thoughts wandered away again…

…when suddenly, the sound of the loudspeaker was heard in the classroom.

"This is the principal speaking. Will all the ninth grade students please gather in the grand auditorium by twelve o'clock? We will be receiving the visit of an honored guest. Classes are suspended for the rest of the day. Thank you."

The brown-haired girl rose from her seat together with the rest of her classmates. They were all excited at the prospect of classes ending early that day. As she arrived in the hallway, Makoto noticed many other freshmen chatting animatedly, happy for the unexpected break. Using the advantage her height gave her, the girl looked for her friends in the crowd. Spotting a certain blonde with an imaginative hairstyle was no hard task.

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_Later that afternoon…_

"So, he told us all about his flower exhibition…and the presentation of the hybrid-plant he developed. And invited us to come see it anytime this week!"

Mako-chan's voice boasted with enthusiasm, as she related the day's most remarkable event to an eager Rhei. Comfortably seated on the perch of the young priestess's temple, the two girls enjoyed the sun-drenched afternoon, waiting for their other friends to show up.

"I've heard about Dr. Tsumbono's project in the news", Rhei remembered. "They set up the whole east wing of the park to host his show. He arranged the flower exhibition himself, to demonstrate his latest ideas in exterior design!"

Just as Makoto was about to reply, another voice reached them:

"I've also read about his hybrid during a laboratory class in Sciences. I would love to take a closer look at it."

Ami was climbing the stone steps to the temple entrance, commenting excitedly. Obviously, Dr. Tsumbono's visit at Juuban School was the main topic of discussion.

Usagi and Minako followed; the latter's voice had acquired the dreamy quality that so represented her:

"Not to mention how beautiful this must be…! Just imagine, a floral exhibition hosted by one of the most popular designers in this field…and in the middle of the park…"

The girls continued their conversation, while Rhei went inside to bring five glasses of ice tea.

"What an incredible luck that he would come announce it precisely at our school!"

"I wonder what this _surprise_ he designed might be…"

"I say we go check it out!"

Minako's suggestion was met with animated nods.

"It _could_ make for a great day out, and combine schoolwork with fun!" Ami opined, as usual trying to point out how they could gain knowledge from a pleasant experience. "What do you think, Usagi…?"

The blonde had been conspicuously silent for the duration of her friends' enthusiastic exchange. Certainly, Ryou Tsumbono's flower exhibition seemed like a great place to visit…

…but she still remembered the last time she'd been to a floral exposition. She had ended up battling a plant-daimohn, and it had been a pretty close call. In fact, if it hadn't been for Hotaru…and then, there was that other time, in the flower-shop…or the flower-gazing festival months before that…

"Usagi?"

Four pairs of questioning eyes were fixed upon her, and the girl felt her cheeks blush slightly. After all, things had been so quiet lately, there was really no reason to refuse.

"Great idea, guys, let's go to the park tomorrow!" she said brightly.

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The afternoon light slowly ebbed away as evening set in over the city. A feeble wind strewed the fallen leaves and broken blades of withered grass. Some of them landed on the surface of a newly-formed pool, causing small ripples across the water surface.

There was a history behind this small, irregularly-shaped pond. Its muddy water covered the ground where the famous Muugen Academy had stood just weeks before, before its violent destruction. The authorities had blamed the incident on a fissured gas pipe, whose explosion had obliterated the building and its surroundings. Luckily, very few people had been in the vicinity at the time the blast had occurred; however, the construction had been devastated. Ruins now stood where modern laboratories and classrooms had been so shortly before, and small scavenger rodents chased each other among the wrecks of what had been state-of-the-art equipment. City authorities lamented the loss of such technology, and of such a promising institution, and concerned themselves with preventing similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

Little did they know that behind the Muugen destruction stood forces beyond their imagination. No one, save for ten people in the whole city, knew the truth. But if you asked one of those people—the sailor senshi, or their appointed protector, Tuxedo Mask—they would have provided a different—and arguably more interesting—version of the facts. The academy had served for headquarters to a group of villains from another dimension: the Death Busters, whose purpose had been to garner the powers of the legendary Holy Grail and open the path for their master to come and take over the universe.

But the sailor senshi preferred to leave the fierce battle that had ensued in the realm of memory. After all, the enemy had been defeated, and everything restored to the way it should have been, and there was little point in dwelling over past hardships. All the warriors had tried to slip into relatively normal lives, and succeeded: Sailor Moon—no, Tsukino Usagi—had resumed her daily activities, from sleeping in to eating her lunch early, from her long walks at her beloved Mamo-chan's side, to the happy chats with her friends—Rhei, Ami, Makoto and Minako, who had, for their part, returned to their lives as carefree, airy high-school students.

They were in no danger from forgetting about their identities as the Sailor Senshi, of course, since Luna and Artemis were always there to drop in a word or two on that subject—but even the two talking cats had allowed themselves to relax a bit, and indulge in leisure activities such as basking lazily in the sun, or chasing the occasional pigeon around the temple court.

On the other hand, the three mysterious warriors known as the outer senshi had not been able to return to the normal lives they had led before. Instead, they had adapted to a new lifestyle, together. Haruka returned to her hobby as a racer, while Michiru once more started accepting invitations to concerts and art exhibitions. The two of them had already grown accustomed to living with each other, and making room in their lives for two more persons was hardly a difficult undertaking.

Setsuna, driven by own reasons she only partially shared, had decided to take baby Hotaru into her care, and had happily accepted Haruka and Michiru's offer to participate in raising the child. The four of them now contended to build a normal life and enjoy it. Yet, unlike Usagi's group, who thrived in relaxation and relied on future peace, they were fuelled by a distant feeling of anticipation. Thanks to Setsuna's discrete hints, Michiru's keen perceptions and Haruka's innate alertness, they felt the danger—albeit not imminent—was not gone. Still, they had come to a silent agreement: without letting the guard down, the outer senshi would enjoy their respite for as long as it lasted.

Consequently, there was no one left to dwell on the strange incident of Muugen Academy. The ruins had been abandoned, as is the fate of many such places in all large cities. No one but the occasional scavenger paid attention to the wreckage.

So it was only natural that no one would notice the small ripple that formed on the water surface that evening. Or the way it grew larger, and larger…until the waters of the small pond spilled over the edges of the pool. A golden shimmer lit up the atmosphere around the deserted ruins, and the air seemed to fracture along an imaginary crack. . If anyone had seen it, they would have imagined themselves in a dark room, looking through a crevice in the wall in the intensely lit adjourning room. The margins of the fissure grew further apart, like something ripped at them from inside. They glowed brightly for an instant. Another ripple disturbed the murky waters.

Then the brightness died down, and the pool grew still again.

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"A flower show in Juuban Park…?" Michiru's interest was piqued, as it tended to be whenever such exhibitions took place.

"So the newspaper says. Should we go see it?"

Standing with her back against the iron railing right above the sea, Haruka watched her partner with just a hint of mischief behind her teal-colored eyes.

"I can think of worse ways of spending a Friday afternoon…" the other replied, in a falsely indifferent tone, as she slightly leaned over the railing. She enjoyed the mild sea-breeze on her face, and the afferent sensation of tranquility and inner balance…her worries seemed so distant in such moments. Everything around her somehow fell into place, and there was no more turbulence, no more trouble…

"Not to mention Ryou-san would just love to meet us again!"

Michiru squeezed her eyes with a long-suffering sigh, though the corners of her lips drew upwards in a small grin.

"I am only going in the hope that the park will be wide enough so he and I don't cross paths."

Haruka shook her head at the aqua-haired girl's dry comment.

"It would really break his heart to hear you say that."

"I somehow doubt that."

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**AN: So, what just happened at the pond? What's the story behind this Ryou Tsumbono? What do you think of the story this far? You answer the last question and I'll take care of the other two, deal? ;) Thank you for staying with the story! **

**Myosotis**


	3. Not Another Eventful Flower Show!

**AN: I have to mention the timeframe for this story coincides with the beginning of the SuperS series. In other words, my story will end on the day the first episode of SuperS takes place. You'll see why this is an important bit of information, but not until later chapters ;)**

**Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" doesn't belong to me, nor do any of its characters .No profit is being made off this story, no infringement of any copyrights is intended. **

**Chapter III- Not Another Eventful Flower Show…?**

The next morning came and went unexcitingly, with only the usual daily dramas: late starts, desperate dashes to school, endless Math lessons and revered lunch-breaks. Before she even knew it, Usagi was halfway through the day—and a few good hours closer to the planned trip to the flower exhibition.

"Usagi-chan! Look! Mom let me borrow her camera for today's trip!"

Naru, the blonde's best friend from school, waved the device excitedly, drawing envious looks from a few younger students who happened to walk by that moment. The girl continued to chat animatedly to her friend, as they both walked through the bustling schoolyard towards the gate.

"I even brought a small snack so that I didn't have to go home to eat! I can't wait to get to the park and then we can take…"

"I heard we're not allowed to take pictures—not close-ups of the flower arrangements at least!" Umino cut in. The girls' classmate and friend—and Naru's boyfriend, if one was to ignore the awkwardness that sometimes reigned between the two in their moments alone—donned a large woolen scarf, that covered half of his face.

"What, where did you hear that! I'm sure you heard wro—Umino!" Usagi's eyes went wide at the sight of her friend's choice of outfit. "Wh-what's _that_ for?" she giggled, pointing at the conspicuous shawl.

"It's for my allergy!" the bespectacled boy said promptly. "Pollen makes me sneeze! In fact, all those flowers in one place could kill me! But"—he said dramatically, pounding his fist on his chest—"I would even confront that danger for the honor to escort Naru-chan to the flower show!"

The auburn-haired girl shrugged and rolled her eyes, while Usagi continued to giggle uncontrollably.

"So, Usagi-chan, did you bring along a snack?" Umino asked. "We're probably not allowed to eat in that section of the park…but we could find a nice place for a picnic afterwards! I even brought a blanket—see, Naru, so you won't have to sit on the damp grass—"

"Shouldn't we hurry…?" Naru interrupted, blushing slightly. She then noticed Usagi's face, and knew the anguish it reflected could only have one cause. "Usagi-chan…did you forget your lunch bag again…?"

"What? Me? Of course not!" the blonde made a dismissive gesture with her hand, laughing loudly—too loudly to be believable. "I…uhm, I just knew I had to drop by home anyway…to…to pick up…Chibiusa! That's right, Mom asked me to take her to the flower exhibition as well so I have to pick her up at home after school! Oh…and I'll just have a quick snack while I'm there…"

Just as she delivered her brilliant excuse, Usagi's mind wandered back to the discussion she had had with her "little sister" that morning. Ikuko-mama had suggested she take Chibiusa to the park later that day, but the younger girl had diplomatically refused. She had seemed very mysterious…and rudely lashed out at Usagi when the girl had asked her about her plans that afternoon.

Well, a short stop at home might serve to clear up that mystery, too. And of course, Ikuko-mama would have a snack to offer her beloved daughter…

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"Puuu!"

When the pink-haired avalanche tumbled through the front door, Setsuna prayed with all her heart that her nightmare visions would not surface anytime soon. While she was usually delighted to see Small Lady, part of her wished the young girl would not come close until the guardian of time had discerned the cause of the nightmares—and made sure they posed no threat. Whatever evil caused them, she wanted to keep the others away from it…and especially the child who now clung lovingly to her waist.

As she half-heartedly returned Chibiusa's hug, she felt a surge of anger wash through her—not only did the terrifying dream haunt her nights, but the memory of it robbed the warmth and joyful moments of her days.

Even as those thoughts crossed her mind, Setsuna displayed an affectionate smile, as she looked down at the pink-haired child.

"Wonderful to see you again, Small Lady" She gestured for Chibiusa to take a seat, but was somewhat surprised to notice the girl still had not broken the hug. Something was amiss, and she hoped to discover what that was. "What brings you here?"

The princess of Crystal Tokyo raised her large red eyes, and Setsuna noticed they shimmered with tears. With a small gasp of surprise, the woman moved to comfort her…but before she could say anything, Chibiusa's angry words rushed out:

"You haven't come to visit me for so long…! Why do you keep your distance? Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?"

"What…?"

Setsuna was taken aback by the sudden burst…and by the bitterness she heard in the child's voice.

"Is it because I am still here in the 20th century? Because I like it here? Do you think I'm a poor princess? Or an ungrateful daughter, is this it? Don't you like me anymore?"

Chibiusa's tears now flowed freely across her face, and the child stared accusingly at her friend. For an instant, the woman did not know how to react…until her mind processed the words she had just heard, and everything started to make sense. She kneeled on the neatly lacquered floor, and pulled the pink-haired princess to her, ignoring the weak resistance and the almost inaudible protests.

"Of course I like you…" she spoke in a soft, soothing voice, hugging the child tightly. "Listen to me... My Small Lady, I don't think you are ungrateful. I know why you are still here in this century…it is perfectly normal. And I can assure you," she continued firmly, meeting the pained red eyes with a warm and confident gaze, "your parents don't think you are ungrateful or that you love them less."

A small sob came from the young girl, confirming Setsuna's suspicions. The child buried her head into her friend's shoulder. Setsuna felt tears come to her eyes, as she imagined the thoughts that troubled her much-loved Small Lady's mind. Mentally, she chastised herself for not having anticipated them.

"Put these worries away…no one could ever think such things about you…not your friends, not me, certainly not the King and Queen, your parents!" She felt the child's crying subside, and kept on talking, while she stroked Chibiusa's hair. "We all know what a sweet, wonderful child you are…and I love you just as much as always."

"Then why don't ever come see me anymore?" came the muffled reply.

Setsuna let out a small sigh, and replied in a voice that sounded deeply regretful.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize it had been that long since we hadn't seen each other." The time-guardian smiled reassuringly at her young friend, just as she silently swore to herself she would not come close to Small Lady before confronting the source of her nightmares.

"I miss you, Puu."

Chibiusa finally raised her tear-stained face from Setsuna's hair, and her eyes held an earnest and worried expression.

"I miss you too, and I promise I'll make it up to you, Small Lady."

It saddened the woman to be dishonest, but she told herself she would just make it up…later. After the dreadful visions were dealt with. Until then, it was safer for all involved if she put as much distance between herself and the child…

"Really? Promise…? Please, Puu, promise you still like me?"

The question, or perhaps the hopeful look in Chibiusa's large eyes, actually elicited a small laugh from the green-haired woman. She caressed the girl's cheek and smiled merrily.

"Promise."

"And that I'll see you more often?"

Setsuna's smile faltered a little, but her tone held the same reassurance—although, the young woman could not tell who she was trying to reassure: herself, or the child.

"Yes."

Suddenly, Chibiusa's eyes twinkled with excitement, as a new idea formed in her mind.

"Will you take me to the park…please…? I would love for you to take me to the park this afternoon!"

Setsuna was instantly wary.

"I…I don't know…maybe the girls should…"

A shadow of doubt clouded the small girl's happy expression, and her red eyes lost some of their merriness. She did not allow her friend to continue, but instead cut her off with endless arguments, while her face frowned into a plaintive pout:

"But you promised! And I don't want them to take me, I want to go with you…and you promised!"

The guardian of Time hesitated for a long moment, before finally surrendering to the poignant plea in Chibiusa's hopeful eyes.

"You're right…" she conceded with a small nod. "I would love to go. Let me just get ready…" She stood up from where they had both sat on the floor, and headed up the stairs, followed by Small Lady's shout:

"I love you, Puu!"

On the top stair, Setsuna stopped in her tracks, and shook her head with a small smile.

"I know."

_Elsewhere in the city…_

_Its_ perspective was heavily distorted. Light and shadow played across _its_ line of sight. The surroundings were strangely…hollow. A quick intake of breath revealed the atmosphere had changed, too. It was colder, less stable and…unknown. _It_ reached out a long, black finger, trying to touch the air, and discovered the air was not corporeal. Yet, _its_ sensitive nervous centers could feel the pressure exercised.

And there was no noise. At least none that _its_ long, sharp ears could recognize. Yet, a faint buzz seemed to ring at the very edges of _its_ acute hearing.

Panic.

_It_ arched violently backwards, and felt the air move along _its_ elastic skin and muscular limbs. _It_ wanted to go back. _It_ was not prepared for this entirely foreign place. _It_ had been violently yanked out of its natural environment, and thrown in the wholly new surroundings.

The unknown environment held thousands of smells, yet none familiar. _It_ allowed itself a few moments to get used to the new sensations, so different from what _it_ had known its whole existence. Few minutes later, _it_ could barely feel any of the initial panic. _Its_ mind discerned a vital goal: to find the way back. That would be a challenge in surroundings so different, so alien…

…and suddenly, amid the millions of unknown sensations, something familiar caught _its_ sense of smell. A vaguely recognizable scent.

So, _it_ knew where to go. _It_ had a direction, and a sense of purpose. _It_ allowed survival instinct to take over, and hoped for the best.

_**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

_Some time later, in Juuban Park…_

"Wow…! This is…incredible! Look at it! It looks so much like the Spring Flower Carnival in Crystal Tokyo…just…even more beautiful!"

Chibiusa had been spellbound from her first step inside the park section that hosted Ryou Tsumbono's exhibition. She had merrily run from one flower to another, cheering whenever a petal or a leaf happened to float downwards, and trying to catch them. Alongside her walked Setsuna—less extroversive, but no less enthused with the surrounding beauty.

"It does resemble the Carnival, doesn't it?" she agreed with a small nod. A moment later, a smile came to the Time Guardian's lips, as she recalled the origins of the Spring Flower festival that NeoQueen Serenity had made a world-wide tradition.

Her expression did not go unnoticed by the child.

"Puu? Mama didn't hire this…this Ryou-something…to organize the parades and…"

"Small Lady…!" Setsuna tried to compose a revolted expression, but the trace of a smile still tugged at her lips, "you should know better than to ask this kind of questions!"

Chibiusa hung her head and pulled her best expression of shame, which caused her friend to laugh out loud. The pink-haired princess winked and offered her brightest smile, happy she had managed to draw laughter from the young woman.

She had noticed her friend had been unusually silent—even wary! The child knew that Setsuna's cool and mysterious veneer did not go as deep as most people thought. While her inner balance and long years of experience had made the Time Guardian appear—and act—serene and placid, she was really a good-natured, mild-mannered person who could enjoy a bit of fun just as much as anyone else could.

Or at least so Chibiusa hoped—mainly because the many pranks she had pulled on her friend had usually ended in laughter, not in being grounded.

"Can I at least ask _what _inspired my Mama to hold the Carnival? I can't believe I was never curious about it before…!"

"It was a good occasion for different people to get to know each other, to interact, to have fun together…on a global scale." Setsuna remembered the first Spring Flower Festival, and how the celebrations had brought people closer. "In fact, it was not quite as far-reaching at first, but the tradition soon extended to the other planets of the system, and eventually became what you know as the Carnival."

"I've only seen it once, I think…or twice maybe…" Chibiusa recollected, "but it was so beautiful…just like this." She admired a violet flower with a long, tall stem and heart-shaped leaves. "Did you go to the festival often, Puu?"

"Sometimes, but not very often."

"Why? I wasn't allowed to go when I was young because all the celebrating was supposed to make me tired…but why didn't you go every time, Puu?"

"Well…" Setsuna smiled teasingly, "I would have really wanted to go, but…" her lips turned downwards in a small pout "most of the time I was stuck babysitting the young Princess who wouldn't go to bed when everyone else was having fun at the festival!"

Chibiusa stuck her tongue out.

"That can't be true, I was a very well-behaved child…right…?"

The young woman's enigmatic smile did not offer any answer. The pink-haired girl playfully nudged her friend into a nearby shrub, causing a shower of leaves to fall on the two of them.

Setsuna raised her gaze, and watched some colorful petals drifting downwards towards her. For an instant, she closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation…

…when a feeling of dread ran through her.

She opened her eyes, and saw the petals still gliding towards her face…only this time they seemed to grow larger, and darker, until they completely covered her sight. Their shadows expanded around her, blocking her view, and the light once more seemed to seep through the rapidly-vanishing cracks in the confining dark walls, leaving her in utter blackness. She opened her mouth to cry for help…

"Puu?"

With a start, Setsuna found herself staring down at Chibiusa's concerned face. Instinctively, she took a step backwards, and leaned against a tree trunk for support. Her throat felt dry, and her lungs hurt—she realized she had been holding her breath.

"What's wrong? What did you see?" The child looked up at the flowery shrub. "Something bad…?"

Setsuna swallowed hard. Her worst fears were coming true—the nightmares had obviously crossed the boundaries of sleep. She had to start searching for their cause again—but that particular afternoon she had promised to Small Lady, and intended to keep her word.

"No… I guess I was a bit taken with the surroundings, that's all", she said with a reassuring smile. "Come on, Small Lady, I'm sure we have plenty more to see…"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Exterior designing was obviously an art, and botany obviously a science. But one would have been wrong in deeming Ryou Tsumbono as only an artist—or only a scientist, and his floral exhibition proved it.

"The man's a genius…!"

Haruka was impressed by the breathtaking displays of exotic-looking flowers, some placed in delicately painted wooden pots, others in imposing stone containers, and some planted directly in the ground. The seemingly infinite rows of plants—ranging from small, bushy shrubs to majestic flowers in full bloom—twisted and turned, forming intricate geometrical patterns across the green patches and stone alleys of the park alike.

"He's turned this place into a maze!"

Michiru's comment was not far off the mark: even those who knew every single alley by heart found Juuban Park totally changed. The elaborate arrangements completely ignored the organization of the park, spanning paths as well as meadows, and even some of the smaller ponds had been completely covered in floating flowerpots that swayed gently on the rippling waters. Obviously, respecting his design pattern had been of paramount importance to Ryou Tsumbono—and the results were noteworthy.

What fascinated people the most was probably the apparent lack of pretension that characterized such a sophisticated display. The colors harmonized perfectly with one another, and none of them—not even the most exotic of blooms—seemed out of place in the mélange. Green dominated the chromatic palette—to support the impression of artlessness—but each color found worthy representatives among the exhibited plants. Furthermore, the containers for some of the more delicate flowers strayed from the bulky design that usually described such recipients. Most of them closely resembled the contained plant in shape: one was witness to a multitude of dainty willowy earthen containers, that were really works of art in themselves.

"Admit it, Michiru…you're impressed!"

It took the aqua-haired girl a second to realize she was being addressed. Leaning against her partner's shoulder, she had been watching imposing trees on both sides of the narrow path, wondering just how Tsumbono could have eclipsed the park's natural vegetation, without covering a single inch.

"Well…he obviously has some sense of the sensational…" she said in a low voice.

"You mean you don't enjoy it…?" Both eyebrows raised, Haruka gave her a disbelieving look.

Michiru smiled, and shook her head, inhaling the delicate fragrance that surrounded them both.

"I can't…_not _like it…" she admitted softly. "It proves so much passion, such a desire to show nature's beauty to the world…even in an organized flower show…"

Haruka was taken by the conviction in the other's voice.

"One really can find little fault to an exhibition like this one…" she agreed in a gentle voice.

Together, they watched a leaf slowly float down from the nearest tree, towards the baby-cart Haruka had been pushing. The leaf landed right on top of baby Hotaru's round nose, and she gave a squeal of surprise, immediately capturing the intruder between her chubby fingers.

"Haruka-san! Michiru-san!"

Usagi's voice broke the moment shared by the two, but they did not seem to mind, as they turned and smiled to the younger girl.

"You're here too! It's amazing isn't it! I've never seen something like this in my entire life! I'm so glad you're here to see it, too! Isn't it wonderful?" The blonde bubbled with enthusiasm, as she made wide gestures to encompass the surrounding marvel.

"You're right, kitten, it is a pretty special sight…"

"I can't believe he could make it all seem so…natural…" Ami said from behind Usagi, contemplating the flowers showed on both sides. "It's…scientific symmetry, and yet, it's not…"

"Well, the man is both a scientist and an artist…Did you see the section where he presents his hybrid plants?" Michiru asked the blue-haired girl, quite sure the topic would interest Ami.

Naturally, it did.

"I…I didn't! He actually brought them _here_?" The girl's voice sounded amazed, almost skeptical. "I've done a bit of research, especially on his most recent experiment..."

"Hotaru-chan…!"

Usagi interrupted her friend, as she bent over the cart. A small shadow clouded her features, as she remembered the dark events in the not-so-distant past. Yet, the sight of Hotaru's innocent, smiling face helped her remember that they had all survived the trial.

Over the blonde's head, Haruka and Michiru shared a glance. They knew what went through Usagi's mind.

"You've grown a bit!" the blonde exclaimed happily, and reached out her hand to touch the baby's hair. "And you're pretty strong too, aren't you…?" she continued, as Hotaru caught one of her fingers and squeezed it in her little hand.

"Isn't Setsuna-san accompanying you?" Minako asked, as she suddenly noticed the absence of the remaining Outer Senshi.

Michiru hesitated for a moment before answering, as she felt something was not entirely true in her words.

"She was…busy… this afternoon."

"Well, there is probably enough time to come in the weekend", Usagi agreed, "but I would have liked to see her, too…you guys have almost disappeared recently…" she continued, in a plaintive tone. However, even the otherwise tactless girl could sense she should not hassle that issue, so she grew quiet after the last words.

For a second, silence fell over the group.

"Erm…how about we head to the section that hosts the new hybrids?"

Ami's suggestion was met with nods of approval, and the girls slowly walked down another flowery path.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Look here!" Chibiusa's attention had been caught by a display with an unusual coloring. "They're almost black…! And they're all in glass casings…"

They had wandered to a section that was surprisingly less populated than the rest of the park. In fact, the two of them were the only ones within sight.

"These are Dr. Tsumbono's recent experiments", Setsuna said as she read the information written on the cases. She frowned, intrigued. "Well…this is interesting…I didn't think this was possible…at least not with evolved plants on Earth…"

"Huh?"

"Apparently these hybrids survive without having to undergo the process of photosynthesis! This is a priceless discovery…this is probably why they are encased, so no one could study the plants without the doctor's permission..."

Chibiusa had wandered a few steps further, looking with new interest at the hybrid plants on display. Suddenly, she made a startling discovery:

"Oh, no!"

Alerted, Setsuna came closer to the child.

"Look!" Chibiusa pointed at one of the glass casings, "It's broken!"

Indeed, a long crack ran from the top of the case, where a small, irregular hole was visible.

"It would seem someone threw a rock at it…" the green-haired woman opined. "Although…why they would do that…"

Suddenly, a movement caught their attention. From behind a thick bush, a small boy emerged, wearing a playful expression. He gave them a wide smile, and stumbled towards them.

"What…"

Chibiusa was taken aback when the child clung to her waist, staring up at her with large, hazel eyes. He did not appear to be older than two.

"Where did you come from?" Setsuna questioned him, "Is you mama or papa near…?" When he returned her gaze, but no answer, she asked again: "Can you talk, little one?"

Just then, from a certain distance, a call was heard.

"Ryuu! Ryuu, come back here this instant, daddy isn't playing hide and seek!"

"I guess this solves our mystery, huh, Ryuu?" Chibiusa concluded. "Let's return this runaway to his dad! Before he gets worri—"

Another noise caught the pink-haired girl's attention before she could finish. To her right, she could hear the snapping of twigs. Someone was headed their way from behind the bushes.

"Must be the angry daddy", she said to Setsuna, who had also turned in the direction of the sounds.

Suddenly, all noises stopped. All they could hear were their own breaths, coming out more rapidly than normal.

"Small Lady…" Setsuna whispered, not sure why she felt threatened by the sudden silence.

"Why…why is there no sound…"

And suddenly, a creature emerged from the bushes, showering the three humans in twigs, stones and dirt. It had moved with such speed that, for a moment, all they could discern was a black mass breaking from the surrounding vegetation. It stopped in the middle of the path, not at all far from where they stood in awe.

"What is this!" Chibiusa cried in alarm.

The being was almost three times as tall as her, and vaguely human in shaping—except its limbs were abnormally large and seemed to flex in all directions, without the hindrance of joints. It was entirely black, with the exception of two white slits on its face—probably its eyes—and another one on its chest.

"Small Lady, take the boy somewhere safe!"

Setsuna had gone in defensive position, stepping in front of the children. She refused to even think the creature had anything to do with her dreams—but what other explanation was there really? Inwardly, all she wanted was to run away from the dark mass that so resembled her nightmare nemesis. Had she been alone, she probably would not have risked a fight—but again, what choice did she have now?

"No!"

Chibiusa's reply did not come as a surprise.

"Please", Setsuna tried to reason with the child, "someone has to take care of him, just make sure you take him to safety…! I'll be fine…it might not even be aggressive…"

"We don't know that!"

Another look at the creature revealed it had come closer, sliding across the ground on two strong legs. It approached noiselessly, with an economy in movement that Chibiusa recognized as a good warrior's mark.

"Just go, we can't risk the boy getting hurt! Where's all that training about efficient team-work, Small Lady?" the green-haired woman quipped, trying to leaven the moment.

Chibiusa grabbed the boy's hand.

"I'll come back in a second, I promise!"

She broke into a run, taking the child away from the creature. As they moved away, she could hear a cry over the loud sound of their hurried footsteps:

"**Pluto Planet Power…"**

With a small measure of relief, the pink-haired child thought Sailor Pluto would probably handle the creature with no difficulty.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Setsuna eyed the potential enemy once again. It had come even closer, and its eyes seemed to fix her intently.

"Stay back, I'm not looking for a fight", she yelled at him, but at the same time grabbed a hold of the transformation pen. "**Pluto Planet Power**", she cried confidently, "**Make Up!**"

For a second, she anticipated the familiar sensation of transforming…

…and felt absolutely no change.

In one panic-filled moment, she realized the transformation had not worked.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AN: Thank you for reading! Please take a minute to let me know what you think:)**

**Myosotis**


	4. A Shadow Takes Form

**Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" doesn't belong to me, nor do any of its characters. No profit is being made off this story. No infringement of any rights intended.**

**Chapter IV- A Shadow Takes Form**

The surrounding world seemed to reduce to slow-motion, as the enemy continued its tantalizingly slow advance.

"**Pluto Planet Power!"** Setsuna cried again, gripping the transformation pen, "**Make Up!**"

Again, nothing happened.

A cold weight settled in her stomach as the woman pondered the consequences of her unsuccessful transformation.

Fighting the nauseating waves of panic, she raised her eyes, only to find the creature almost within arm's length. Instinctively, she jumped backwards, looking for whatever weapons she could improvise. The lack of any noise was daunting—an enemy who did not speak presented the most dangerous type.

"What are you looking for…what do you want!" she tried again, retreating further.

Getting it to talk would have bought her time…

…though she doubted the utility of that extra time.

She felt her back touch the cold glass of one of the flower containers. There was no space left to move back. Setsuna felt another twinge of panic creep down her spine, as her hands instinctively moved across the glass surface.

"Damn it!

Her fingers had brushed across a crack in the container, and a small fragment of glass had embedded itself into her skin.

With a trace of bitter irony, she recalled how she had been discussing that very casing with Small Lady—wondering who had broken it. Then, the creature had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere…and the loss of her powers had left her defenseless in to the new threat.

But Setsuna had lived long enough to know, one should never go down without a fight.

Swiftly, she drove her elbow through the already fissured glass, ignoring the pain that shot up her hand as the case shattered around it. She averted her eyes just long enough to spot one of the larger shards, and pick it up.

"I'm warning you, stay back!" the young woman cried, holding the shard like a dagger pointed at the intruder.

For its part, the dark creature did not seem overly intimidated. If anything, it had become more alert when the glass had shattered, and was rapidly gliding towards the green-haired woman, its long, black arms crossed in front of its midsection, in a classical defense position.

Setsuna raised her improvised weapon.

The creature emitted a low hiss. It loomed over her, ready to attack, when…

"Hold it right th—"

"**Deep Submerge**!"

Setsuna instinctively turned towards the direction of the voices, relief flooding through her as she recognized the familiar sight of a massive surf of seawater. A blue orb of energy passed her by, slamming into the creature that had come within a few inches from her.

"I'm sorry, Sailor Moon", she heard Sailor Neptune say, "but it wouldn't have stopped to listen to you."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Stay here, little boy, I have to go, alright?"

The younger child grasped her hand tightly, obviously frightened by the recent events. Chibiusa let out a small sigh. She had run far enough from the creature's location to feel safe. Even more, she had warned everyone she had met on the way to keep away from there—though how many believed her, she did not know. And after she had run as fast as her feet could carry her to the far side of the park…

…all she wanted to do was go back.

But the young boy refused to let go of her hand, whimpering every time she tried to draw it away.

"Listen…little Ryuu…you have to understand…my place is _there_ right now!" She sat the little boy on a bench. "You're safe here…"

But the child whimpered even louder.

Chibiusa watched him helplessly. She was torn between the desire to go back and help her friend, and the urge to stay with the scared boy. She had hoped they would run into his father. Yet, no one had claimed the child. Where was his father? Why wasn't he looking for Ryuu?

Just then, as an answer to her silent prayers, a man's voice boomed from behind her:

"There you are, Ryuu! What did you think you were doing, pulling that disappearing act on me! Daddy is _not _happy with you, young man!"

The pink-haired girl turned just as a wiry man bent over the wooden bench. He had coal-black hair, and a grayish stub that gave him a nonconformist look. The boy reached his small arms and the man effortlessly picked him up.

"Are you Ryuu's father?"

"Why, yes I am. Tsumbono Ryou, at your service, young lady." As he looked at her, the girl noticed he shared the boy's hazel eyes. "And I think I have to thank you for retrieving my little runaway."

"Uhm…you're welcome…" She turned on her heels, ready to head back. "And keep away from the section of the park with those hybrid plants!"

Just as she was about to break into a run, a strong hand gripped her shoulder, holding her in place.

"What are you…let go!" Chibiusa furiously tried to yank away from the man's grasp, but he held firm. "Let me go! I have to help Puu!"

"Just a minute, young lady! What was it about the hybrid plants?" The man's voice now sounded impatient and concerned. He gave her a stern look. "Why should I keep away from that section?"

"Because there's some kind of creature attacking there! Now let go of me!"

"Creature! Attacking my precious plants!" He sounded downright panicked as he said the last words, and his eyes had widened in shock. "You better not be making this up, kid! It's not a very good prank!"

"It's…no…prank…" Chibiusa muttered, as she squirmed in his grasp.

"I'm not going to let go if the first thing you do is go running back there!" The man grabbed her upper arm and shook her slightly. "If there really is something dangerous, you should stay here where you're safe! This isn't child's play!"

"You don't understand, my friend is out there!" She turned and gave him an angry glare. "She told me to run to take _your son_ to safety! If you hadn't lost him in the first place she'd be safe now too!" The accusing words had come out in a furious shout. "Now **let me go!**" Chibiusa yelled again, jerking her arm from the man's grasp.

He seemed shocked at her words, and stopped trying to hold her back. Once free, the pink-haired girl dashed down the same alley she had come from.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Hold it right there! You're disrupting this beautiful flower exhibition and ruining our day out! You still have a chance to turn, walk away and not come back! If not, I, Sailor Moon, will punish you, in the name of the moon!"

Setsuna let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. At the far end of the narrow alley, she discerned seven familiar figures. The Sailor Senshi had—as per custom—arrived just in time.

"Are you alright?" Sailor Mercury ran to the green-haired woman, ready to offer any medical assistance she could. "You're bleeding!"

Setsuna looked down at her hand, and realized she was still clutching the shard. It took a small effort to unlatch her fingers from it. As the piece of glass fell to ground, she discovered her hands were shaking.

"It's nothing. I'm fine, thank you."

Before Mercury could argue any further, an alarmed cry came from behind.

"Watch out!"

The remaining warriors quickly positioned themselves in front of the two. Just as Sailor Moon had delivered her speech, the creature had slowly made its way back to its feet. It showed no residual traces of injury—if anything, it seemed even bigger, and more menacing than before. Its black hands reached forward, long fingers clenching and unclenching spasmodically, as if impatient to grab a hold of the warriors.

"It's still alive!" Sailor Mars—rather unnecessarily—pronounced.

"Not for long" came Jupiter's reply, as the warrior slipped into her attack position.

"We'll make sure it doesn't harm anyone again", Venus confirmed.

"Wait!"

They all turned to face an adamant Sailor Moon.

"We have to know its intentions first! We can't just attack it because we don't know what it is!"

Uranus turned to Sailor Moon with an arched eyebrow.

"Will you grow up…" she muttered under her breath.

"It isn't going to tell you anything…" Setsuna said tiredly. "It did not speak a single word…"

The blonde leader of the Inner Senshi looked almost pleading.

"We have to know why it's here! And I can't destroy it without solid reason!"

"It attacked one of us!" Uranus pointed out, almost angrily. "What more reason do you need?"

"It's coming!"

Venus's alarmed cry broke the dispute. Instantly, the Senshi fell in formation around their recognized leader, with Uranus and Neptune taking the lateral flanks, while Mars, Jupiter and Venus covered Sailor Moon on both sides.

Mercury cast Setsuna a concerned glance. In her eyes, there was an unspoken question, but the girl was discreet enough not to ask it. She could see the other was still somewhat shaken by the close shave with the creature.

"Maybe you should sit this one out", she suggested.

Setsuna gave her a doubtful look. She could read the confusion on Mercury's face, and knew the girl wondered why she had not transformed—but she was not ready to admit to the loss of her powers. But could she really stand by and watch the others fight?

With a wave of revulsion, she admitted to herself she had done that so often before, as part of her duty. Hadn't she always feared she would eventually do it out of habit? That she would grow shiftless, and watch idly as others fought battles she should have taken part in?

"No!"

The answer was almost desperate, yet her usual composure faltered only slightly.

"I'll help", she continued, averting her eyes from the blue-haired warrior's, to avoid seeing the same unspoken question in the other's gaze.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"**Sparkling Wide Pressure!" **

Jupiter's attack hit the intruder frontally, pushing it backwards. Its feet glided across the concrete alley, leaving black scorch-marks. As the last traces of electricity shimmered in the air around it and vanished, it straightened its stance once more. Its eyes narrowed to two horizontal slits, as it watched the Senshi intently.

"Impossible…!" Sailor Jupiter was baffled. Not only had her attack caused no visible damage, but the creature…

"It's…changed!"

The warrior watched agape, as the enemy, who had previously resembled an abnormally elongated black silhouette, seemed to contract in a much more human form. Its tendril-like limbs grew shorter, and more muscular. Its midsection, that had been thin and weedy, seemed to expand to support the new distribution of weight. In shape, the creature now almost resembled an unnaturally muscular, burly man—except for its height, that was still almost double as tall as the tallest of the Senshi.

Its head, previously almost tear-shaped, smooth and featureless, became oval. Blunt features carved their way onto its face, making it into a distorted parody of a human face.

"It's…copying us…?"

Facts seemed to support Mercury's theory. The creature had managed to imitate the human figure to a certain extent—except for the proportions. Also, its entire body was still completely dark, a pitch-black with an almost metallic shine that seemed to reflect the light.

"It was a shadow…"

Setsuna's whisper went almost unnoticed, as everyone was too astounded to pay attention. But her words had described the creature's transformation well. It had previously resembled a shadow spread across a wall, just far enough from a source of light to make it stretch to such unusual proportions.

And now, the shadow was taking shape.

Just like the nightmares had shown her.

"I don't care how it looks! **Burning Mandala!**"

The fire rings circled the creature, and eventually hit it forcefully, pushing it backwards another few feet. But again it stood, unaffected, and resumed its steady march.

"Why doesn't it say anything…?" Sailor Moon almost whimpered. "What…what does it want?"

"Whatever it wants, it's not going to get it here!" came Uranus's sharp reply. "**World Shaking!**"

The Senshi of Wind slammed her energy orb into the creature's midsection, and watched in grim satisfaction as the enemy was lifted off the ground and thrown into a nearby tree, where it doubled over and lay motionlessly.

Mercury activated her visor and studied the creature attentively. She frowned in confusion.

"This can't be…the reading are completely abnormal…"

"Is it destroyed?" Uranus asked impatiently.

"I can't tell! Its energy levels are so unstable! And I can't detect a mass center or any weak spots! I can't even realize whether it's organic or inorganic! The supplied data seems completely foreign! It's—oh, no..."

The creature moved, and once more rose to its feet in one swift move.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Why aren't the attacks working?" Sailor Mars demanded from her blue-haired colleague.

"I…don't know…it's too different from anything we've ever faced before…"

"Sailor Moon!" Neptune turned to their leader. "Use your attack, it might work!"

The blonde swallowed hard, and gave the Senshi of the Sea a hesitant look. She was not at all convinced violence would be the best way to go…and none of their attacks had worked! She had never been all that powerful when it came to physical strength…

…and she was reluctant to attack a creature she knew nothing about.

She felt the others' gazes upon her, and looked each of them in the eyes. They conveyed mixed feelings: understanding, reproof, condescendence, encouragement. She moved her gaze to their enemy, who had once more achieved a defensive stance, and was staggering towards them. Her friends moved back to give her a clear shot.

Sailor Moon silently invoked her Spiral Moon Rod, and aimed it at the creature.

She opened her mouth to voice the attack.

_Please, please, just stop and turn around…I don't know what you are but I don't want to hurt you...something tells me not to…_

She closed her eyes for a second, hoping her wish would be heard.

"What are you doing! Watch out!"

Sailor Uranus's alarmed voice startled the leader of the Senshi, and she opened her eyes just in time to witness the blonde warrior charge by her.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Uranus's feeling of increasing frustration caused the Senshi of Wind to frown menacingly. Why did not of the attacks work? She hated the sensation of futility—why could she not defeat the enemy like she had countless times before?

Her partner, Sailor Neptune, had met her gaze for one short moment, and the blonde had known her feelings were echoed. She hoped that Sailor Moon's attack would neutralize the creature. She would not have been surprised if it had—after all, their Princess's powers were highly unpredictable, and certainly great. Too bad the girl had such a flimsy nature, and could not fully grasp the substance of a battle.

Uranus hoped Sailor Moon would eventually understand fighting was often necessary to preserve peace—yet, at the same time, a small conflicting part of her struggled to shield the Princess from that realization for as long as possible.

She watched their leader summon her weapon, and waited for the attack.

It never came.

With a surge of panic, Uranus noticed the enemy was charging faster towards the blonde who had—_of all foolish things!_—closed her eyes. Just as anger flooded her, the teal-eyed warrior drove forward, to counter the creatures attack. She could think of thousands of furious words to shout at Sailor Moon—but the priority at the moment was protecting the imprudent girl's life.

She could not risk sending another energy ball that might not be strong enough to stop the creature's dash. The warrior summoned her talisman as she charged the enemy head-on.

Gripping the handle of the space sword, she launched herself on top of the intruder, and drove the blade forward with all her strength…

…only to find it recoil just as forcefully.

Uranus felt the handle of the weapon shove hard into her stomach, as an electric jolt surged through the creature's body. The shock threw her backwards with such force, that the warrior flew several meters through the air, before landing hard against the pavement.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

It had only been a few seconds since she'd seen Uranus dash by her, but for Sailor Moon they had gone by in slow motion. With wide eyes she had noticed the blonde warrior move to intercept the creature and attack it straight on.

"Uranus!"

Neptune's frantic cry had erupted almost instantaneously—almost as if the aqua-haired Senshi had sensed the other's pain before it even happened. The Senshi of the Seas rushed to her fallen partner, her concern momentarily overpowering her deeply rooted sense of duty.

Sailor Moon watched as Neptune kneeled by the blonde warrior. New determination built up inside her. Eyes brimming with tears, she turned towards the enemy, tightening her grip on the Spiral Moon Rod.

_"She attacked one of us, what more reason do you need?"_

"**Moon Spiral**…" she shouted unwaveringly, aiming the staff at the dark-colored intruder, "**Heart Attack!"**

She could feel the power washing over her, and channeled it resolutely towards the creature. In a shower of colorful sparks, the attack hit its target.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AN: Review please! I need to know you're actually reading;) Thanks!**

**Myosotis**


	5. Did We Win? Did We Lose?

**Chapter V-Did We Win? Did We Lose?**

_It_ did not know what to make of the avalanche of new sensations: visual, audible and tactile. The last category in particular had proven…more difficult to tackle.

_It_ had tried—like any decent being would, if stranded in a completely alien world—to find the way back home. Yet, the path would not reveal itself. Instead, a multitude of obstacles had surfaced. Others had come between _it_ and its goal.

_It_ knew they were hostile even before they had attacked. They had brought about the plethora of unfamiliar sensations.

Instinct dictated stealth and covertness. _It_ did not retaliate. _It_ adapted.

And further, they had attacked. _It_ had experienced many different sensations. Until finally, _it_ had decided to fight back, done it instinctively—and succeeded.

Then another sensation washed over _it_, very much different from the previous ones.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The first thing she became aware of was the cold concrete, hard against her back. A second later, the chill was replaced by warmth, and the solid alley floor by soft hands she knew all to well.

"Come on… wake up…"

She enjoyed feeling the other's warmth, and was sorely tempted to just lie there for a while.

"Please…"

The note of fear in the other's voice made her eyes open almost instantly. She was greeted with a small sigh of relief and an almost unperceivable smile.

Once reassured her partner was alright, Neptune realized they were still in the middle of the same dire situation. Suppressing the temptation to prolong the intimate moment, she straightened her shoulders and made a move to rise to her feet.

With very little surprise, she felt Uranus's hand grab hers.

"You really are spoiling my comfortable position", the blonde complained in a low whisper; at the same time, however, she used her partner's help to pull herself up.

"Well, **I **would be more comfortable if you'd realize that using your head in a battle doesn't exactly mean slamming it straight on against the enemy!"

Uranus let out a small grunt as she dusted herself off, but did not retaliate. The short exchange was all they could allow during the current fight.

The two of them turned their gazes to the enemy, squinting to see through the bright display of colors that followed Sailor Moon's attack. As the rainbow of sparks wore off…

"Impossible!"

Agape, Neptune watched with intensifying panic as the burly, human-shaped black antagonist made its way back to its feet once more. Transfixed, Sailor Moon contemplated the failure of her strike.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"None of our attacks are working!"

Wearily, the Senshi once more fell into formation around their leader.

Instinctively, Setsuna moved to join them, but stopped in mid-stride as she realized her presence would be more a hindrance than a benefit. Dejectedly, she drew back a few steps, forcing herself to witness a battle she could not take part in. She moved towards the remaining Outer Senshi, silently offering Uranus her assistance, as the sandy-blonde still swayed slightly on her feet and discreetly leaned against her aquamarine-haired partner for support.

"We don't have a choice", Sailor Mars declared, the increasing unease seeping through her words, "We should combine our powers!"

"We have no guarantee even **that** will be enough", Jupiter whispered worriedly. She cast a glance back, and felt a small measure of relief to see the Senshi of Wind standing, apparently unharmed.

The auburn-haired girl had perhaps butted heads with Sailor Uranus on more than one occasion, but she had a special consideration for Haruka Tenoh. Indeed, she admired her so, that she often found it hard to believe the feisty young racer was one and the same with the hard-headed warrior she so often disagreed with.

"We have to try it nonetheless" Mercury opined.

Venus simply nodded her agreement, and they all look questioningly towards Sailor Moon.

The blonde leader of the Senshi swallowed hard. A disquieting sensation settled in the pit of her stomach. She had always had a purpose in battle before—but now, with no clue to the new enemy's (_or was it really?_) identity or ambitions, she felt as if she fought blindfolded.

But…

…the creature had already hurt one of her friends—and it would have been two, if they hadn't arrived in time to stop it from attacking Setsuna.

"Let's do it!"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The rapid beats of her heart sounded loudly in her ears. She clenched her fists and ran faster. She could hear their voices, not too far ahead. The alley had never seemed quite that long…or maybe she had never run that slow…

Chibiusa stopped right after turning the corner. The sight that greeted her was not a pleasant one. Sailor Neptune was in the process of slipping one arm under her partner's, and draping the other around Uranus' shoulders. The blonde warrior had scrape-marks and small burns across her legs and upper arms, and her skirt was ripped in a few places. The child let out a small sigh of relief as she also spotted 'Puu' next to the two.

In the middle of the lane stood Sailor Moon, holding the Spiral Moon Rod lowered towards the ground, an expression of insecurity in her eyes. The four Inner Senshi surrounded her, the weariness in their stances worrying.

A short distance further Chibiusa saw the enemy, poised to attack—the same dark creature from earlier, yet somehow different…

Her fingers instinctively tightened around her transformation brooch, but the rapid succession of events captured her attention.

"**Mars Star Power**…" the raven-haired warrior cried out, closing her eyes as a red aura surrounded her.

"**Mercury Star Power…" **

"**Jupiter Star Power…"**

"**Venus Start Power…"**

Sailor Moon watched her friends' powers emanating from their bodies, so real and warm…

"Moon Cosmic Power…"

Together, they focused their energy towards the intruder. Their thoughts reached out to each other, united by one wish—to protect their world and themselves from the new threat.

"**Sailor Planet Attack!"**

An immense surge of power built within the circle they formed, and a bolt of pure energy shot out of their midst. As it hit the gleaming black creature, a loud, thunder-like noise pierced the air. The Senshi were momentarily blinded by an intense white light.

One short second later, they opened their eyes…

…to face the now empty park alley.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: Thank you for staying with the story so far (although this has _got_ to be the laziest fandom community as far as reviews go :-P well, from my point of view at least. My self-confidence is seriously bruised due to the lack of reviews…!) **

**Cheers,**

**Myosotis **


	6. Suspicions

**AN: Enjoy this newest chapter!  
**

**Chapter VI-Suspicions**

Victory this time tasted bittersweet. That much was apparent to all the Senshi; some simply hid it better than others.

Jupiter's stretching shadow towered over the alley, as the tall warrior surveyed the surroundings with an expression of grim satisfaction. Next to her, Mars and Venus gave slight nods of approval, acknowledging the end of a hard battle. Mercury studied the alley through her visor, the blue shade screening the look in her eyes.

Neptune spared a glance towards the scattered shards and broken casings that had just minutes before sheltered precious specimens of a world-famous flower show. For a second, she was enthralled by the desolate view. It now had an odd, tragic beauty to it. The spell broke quickly, and the aqua-haired warrior exchanged a grave look with Uranus.

Sailor Moon wore a distant expression of sadness in her clear blue eyes. Strangely, she felt that, while they had won this fight, they had failed at something vastly more important. Yet any concrete ideas eluded her; her ambivalence was credited only to a vague sensation in her gut.

A small distance from the former battle scene, Chibiusa watched her friends in the aftermath of the fight. Her capacity for empathy had grown considerably, and the child could almost read each of their thoughts on their faces. Relief, regret, doubt—all were etched on their features.

The scene had something vaguely familiar about it.

She furrowed her brow, trying to place it. At first, her memory wouldn't help. Then it hit her.

"We're all here…" the child whispered in awe. "Again…"

Chibiusa thought back at the crisis they had just come through. She had seen the Sailor Team and the Outer Senshi fight together—not frequently, as their goals had seemed to diverge, but often enough. If they had come together again…was it a portent of another crisis?

Almost instinctively, the pink-haired princess turned her eyes to the one person who could offer the answer.

As though mirroring the child's thoughts, Setsuna met her inquiring red eyes at the same moment.

For a second, their gazes locked, one desperately questioning, the other reticent.

And the young woman slowly lowered her eyes, concealing the answer behind her glistening eyelids.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Later the same night…_

The nightmare came about more frequently now. Always the same ominous sphere of shadows closing in on her. And she was still no closer to finding its meaning. Devoid of her powers as Sailor Pluto, she felt helpless in front of the foreshadowed dangers. And still, she took some solace in knowing no one suspected her predicament. No one would find out.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ami-chan! Go to bed already, it's almost two in the morning…"

Her mother's tone held a soft scolding as well as a note of understanding. Mrs. Mizuno knew her daughter's diligence all too well.

"Yes, I will in a moment…" came the answer.

Her mother poked her head through the half-open door.

"Now would be a good time, Ami-chan."

"Right…in a second…"

The blue-haired girl's voice was distant, as she only half-focused on her words. Her entire attention was caught by whatever information she read on the glowing screen of the computer.

"You and I will have a talk, young lady, about the difference between studying hard and losing sleep…" the mother warned, "but right now I want those lights out in ten minutes tops."

Ami nodded.

As soon as the older woman left, she went back to her work. She scrolled impatiently down a page, skimming through the text and glancing at the graphics and drawings.

"The answer has to be here…that's no coincidence…" She checked the computer screen once again, and shook her head in frustration. "I'm going to find out…"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Burrow glistening with beads of sweat, Setsuna stood on the edge of her bed, taking deep breaths to slow down her heartbeat. She then rose to her feet, wincing as the floor creaked under her weight. Careful not to make any more noise, she walked to the window. The promise of another sleepless night weighed down on her already weary mind.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the darkness, Michiru's eyes snapped open. A passing moonray reflected an angered sadness burning in their depths. She lay staring at the ceiling for a long while, listening to Haruka's soft, regular breathing. And all that time, she heard the other sounds in the house, noises that betrayed she was not the only one restless that night.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ami's mother rolled her eyes in silent exasperation as she turned off the lamp on her daughters writing table and passed a stroking hand through the girl's short hair. Perhaps for the first time in a long while, Ami had fallen asleep over the desk, with dissatisfaction still written clearly on her face.

The woman smiled at her sleeping child, thinking of how to move her to bed without waking her.

She reached a hand to turn off the computer. For a short second before the screen went black, she idly examined the data her daughter had been reading.

"I had no idea you were so passionate about astronomy, Ami-chan… maybe we'll watch the eclipse together…"

A few minutes later, when the blue-haired girl slept comfortably in her bed, the mother went out of the room, leaving the door ajar. A ray of light from the hallway fell across the desk, on the pages of the open book that had served as Ami's pillow. Bold letters from the title of a chapter were visible in the dim light.

"_**The Dynamics of the Solar System"**_

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Morning brought a cool breeze, unusual for a late summer day. Having awakened with the dawn, Michiru sat on the front porch, a light blanket draped over her shoulders to keep off the chill. Her mind wandered back to the recent events, searching a connection that eluded her.

"Trouble sleeping?"

Setsuna's gentle voice floated to her through the nippy morning air.

"I could ask you the same question", Michiru replied, unable to keep a note of bitterness out of her otherwise soft tone.

"I thought I heard Hotaru cry and went to check on her", the other said quickly, betraying an answer prepared beforehand.

"She's asleep."

For a second, neither spoke.

"I love watching her sleep…" Michiru started in a neutral voice, "she looks so peaceful and serene…like she had all the answers and not a care in the world."

"Her new chan—"

"And every time I look in her eyes, I see the utter innocence in them. Like she would never lie… never keep things from me."

Suddenly wary, Setsuna lowered her eyes to Michiru's face, but the other kept her expression carefully dispassionate.

"I feel the same way", she eventually replied, "every time I look at her. I guess…it's natural for parents."

"That's what we are to her now, aren't we…? Parents…"

"Yes…"

For another long moment, they kept silent. Michiru leaned against the wooden stair rail, staring resolutely ahead, while Setsuna stood a couple of paces behind her, lost in her own thoughts.

"I had, last night."

Michiru's words confused the other.

"Had…?"

"Trouble sleeping. You asked first…remember?"

"Michiru…"

For the first time since they had started talking, the aqua-haired woman turned to her friend. Her wide sapphire eyes spoke all the meanings she had hidden in the brief conversation.

"Yes…?"

Setsuna held her gaze for one short second.

"I…I think I'm getting cold. I'll head inside, to fix some breakfast."

She went back inside without waiting for an answer. As she passed Haruka in the hallway, barely aware of the blonde's greeting, the young woman wondered how much longer she could avoid the others' questions.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the way to school, Ami's thoughts drifted back to the information she had discovered—or rather, the one she had _not_ yet discovered. She felt several vital pieces were missing from the puzzle. Keeping her eyes fixed on the pavement, the girl reviewed all the data she had in her mind, hoping for it to make any sense, until…

"Ooof!"

A sudden impact threw her backwards, and she landed unceremoniously on the hard pavement she had so keenly been studying seconds before.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention, are you alright Miss?"

"No, I was the one distracted, I'm sorry…" Ami accepted the proffered hand, and found herself face to face with a lean, dark-haired man. His face was not entirely new to her.

"Here", he handed her the schoolbag she had dropped, "and again, my apologies."

"It's alright."

"Anything else I can do for you, Miss?" the man asked solicitously.

"No, thank you, I'll just head to school now." Ami glanced at her wristwatch. "I've been daydreaming and now I'm almost late…"

The stranger examined her uniform, and a smirk curled his lips. He cocked his head with an expression of amused puzzlement.

"Daydreaming, indeed… kids these days…! I'm not very familiar with this area of Tokyo, but isn't Juban the other way…?"

Ami jumped at his words, for the first time paying attention to her surroundings. A slight brush crept to her cheeks. Lost in thought, she had missed the right turn to school.

"I'll be going now…" she said, embarrassed.

"Well, you're lucky I'm headed the same direction myself", the man replied good-naturedly. "That way I'll make sure you actually get there this time."

"No need to bother, Sir…"

"Nonsense. Let's get going now, or I'll miss my appointment with your principal, Miss…?"

"Mizuno Ami."

He extended a hand and a genial smile.

"Tsumbono Ryou, at your service Miss Mizuno." With a small degree of pride, he noticed her eyes widen in recognition of his name.

"Oh, Tsumbono-sama! I thought you seemed familiar! I've heard so much about you, I'm a great admirer of your work!"

Conversation tied rapidly around the topic of Tsumbono's hybrids. He was quite impressed by Ami's knowledge of his work, and did not hesitate to tell her so. They walked together at a brisk pace, following, at the man's suggestion, a shortcut to school. The road took them past that part of the district where Mugen Academy had once been.

As they walked by the artificial pond left behind by the massive explosion, both fell silent for a second. Ami's mind drifted back to the threat mankind had unknowingly faced a few months before, and all the evil Silence concentrated in that one place.

"Amazing…" the man finally spoke, "how such a tragedy could occur…"

"Oh?"

"I'm still surprised that the major gas leak did not have any other consequences. Just imagine the shockwave an explosion of this magnitude would have created. And it was nothing short of a miracle that no people were killed in the blast." He shook his head, and indicated the deserted surroundings with a wave of his hand. "This could hardly be considered minimal damage, but considering the other effects the explosion could have had…"

"Yes…" Ami agreed in a neutral voice, "everyone was…lucky."

"Surprising how quickly nature tends to heal…can you already see the plant and animal life blooming again in the ruins? In fact, I have harvested several types of seeds from this newly formed ecosystem for…"

Ryou Tsumbono stopped in mid-sentence as he noticed Ami was no longer paying attention. She simply stared at the blue surface of the irregular pool of water. He could almost see the wheels turning in her head. An expression of enthusiasm appeared on the girl's face.

"I knew you were a genius, Tsumbono-sama! Thank you so much!"

Ami's face showed genuine gratitude and joy, so the man could do nothing else than shrug in confusion.

"You're welcome, but what did…"

"I have to leave you now, Sir…I have something to check before school! It was wonderful to meet you, thank you for this conversation!"

The last words were spoken as the girl broke into a run, new determination showing on her face.

"Could this be it...?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN: A cookie for anyone who figures out what Ami could be thinking of;)! The explanation to everything is actually outlined in this chapter, but you'll have to wait for the next ones for details. I hope it's not obvious:)**

**Thank you for staying with this story! Review ;)!**

**Myosotis **


	7. Confrontation: Friend Against Enemy

**Chapter VII a)-Confrontation: Friend Against Enemy**

No one had anticipated the new fight the day would bring. Nothing unusual had happened, not until the battle had come upon them out of the blue. Their day had started as a normal one, with normal classes and normal lunch-breaks, and normal chats and bickering. Usagi had just arrived home, and smelled the scent of freshly baked cookies. Rei was tying a new ribbon on the tree at the temple. Minako was scraping Artemis's ear. Makoto had just closed the door to her apartment.

"Everyone! Another enemy appeared at the park! I'm taking it on but I need your help!"

Driven by the same urgency, the four girls had rushed out of their homes to answer Ami's call.

And to think they had only investigated Juban park yesterday…

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_The previous day…_

Few days had passed since the battle with the yet unidentified enemy, and the Sailor Team still kept an eye out for danger. All hated the feeling of having to look over their shoulders at every step, but agreed it was the wiser course of action.

That particular afternoon, the five of them had come together at Ami's suggestion, to investigate the former battle scene again. The blue-haired girl couldn't shake the feeling that they missed an important detail. She had come up with a theory…but vital connections escaped her.

Reaching the park section that hosted the flower show, the girls were once more enthralled by the unique beauty of the colorful displays. The exhibition had again attracted many people, young and old, who walked around in a state of incredulous admiration. Still, the more secluded area of the Tsumbono display was, as before, deserted. Ami had wondered why the scientist had chosen to display his newest and most fascinating hybrids so far away from the main paths. That was probably intended as a test for those genuinely interested in his work—if they ventured far enough away from the enticing floral beauty, they deserved to discover the intriguing mechanisms of the newly bred hybrids.

"Well, they seemed to have tidied up the place…"

Indeed, there was no trace left of the devastation the creature had left behind. The broken casings had been replaced, the shards removed and the wispy plants again showed their long brownish leaves, safely encased in brand new glass containers.

"There's nothing left to study, Ami-chan. I think this was a wasted trip after all…"

"Might as well look around now that we're here", Makoto opined, coming closer to one of the hybrids. "These are so strange…not exactly the type of plant I would raise in my garden…!"

"It took Dr. Tsumbono months to develop these" Ami provided, "but what they can do is amazing. They can use the organisms around them to adapt to any new environment."

"Like a…sym-bi-otic plant?" Usagi asked, struggling with the difficult word.

"In a way, but not exactly. It doesn't need a host to adapt and survive. It simply…replicates the properties of the organisms in the same ecosystem. Then it can modify its responses according to the environment." Ami shrugged, shaking her head. "I don't fully understand their mechanism…"

"Well, I think we all agree there is little left to investigate here." Untouched by either Makoto's passion for gardening, or Ami's interest in biology and botany, Rei looked forward to returning to her after-school duties at the temple. "Shouldn't we be heading back? It's getting late…"

"This place is creeping me out—especially in the evening!" Minako admitted. "It's so gloomy…and so quiet! Like we're the only ones around…"

"That's because we _are _the only ones around!" Rei helpfully provided.

"Uhm, yes…well I'm for heading home! There's too much…silence…out here!"

For a moment, the five girls said nothing more.

"You know…" Usagi started, drawing closer to Minako, "this really is _too _quiet…"

"What's the matter, Usagi? Afraid the Juban ghost will come get you? They say it preys on klutzy schoolgirls…"

"You're so mean, Rei-chan! You're just as much of a klutz as I am!"

"At least I can spend more than two minutes without knocking anything over!"

"At least I didn't fall flat on my face in front of Mamo-chan!" ("Never? In all this time?" Minako had maliciously inquired with a quirked eyebrow)

As Ami turned her attention away from the girls' sparring match, something of great concern caught her eye. Stretching across the pavement, a long black shadow came into sight from the corner of the alley. Just as she was about to shout out a warning, the others spotted the moving silhouette.

"It's the ghost of Juban!" Minako cried out, hiding behind Makoto.

"Whaaat! No, don't come near me! Take Rei!"

Makoto and Ami exchanged looks; they feared the appearance of another enemy creature.

"Everyone, get ready to transform" the taller girl warned.

But as they all gripped the transformation pens, the shadow shrunk in the light of the setting sun, and a familiar figure came into view.

"Setsuna-san! You, here?"

The green-haired girl was less surprised to meet them—she had presumably heard the squabble from a distance. She greeted them with a smile.

"Are you investigating the park as well?" Usagi questioned. "Ami said we should, too…we didn't find anything, though."

"I see…"

"What was that creature…? Do you know anything about it?"

"I'm afraid not... but I am working on it." She cast a quick glance at the surroundings, and shook her head. "This looks like a dead end…"

Everyone agreed, and started heading home. Lingering behind the five younger girls, Setsuna came closer to one of the hybrids. She touched the glass lightly with her fingers. In the palm of her hand and up her wrist, the almost healed grazes streaked her skin like lines in red ink. After a couple of seconds, she turned her eyes away from the plant, and followed the others.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Back at the present moment…_

"Mercury Star Power!"

"Mars Star Power!"

"Jupiter Star Power!"

"Venus Star Power!"

"Moon Cosmic Power!"

"Sailor Planet…Attack!"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

They all knew the dire truth, and were reluctant to speak it. Gathered around the low table in Rei's room at the temple, they contemplated the new facts. Their hands clasped around warm cups of tea, the five girls regarded each other in troubled silence.

"What are we going to do…? We can't use the combined attack that often…!"

Everyone reacted to Usagi's words.

"It's using up all our energy every time…" Rei said ruefully.

"Can't we get some kind of upgrade in our powers…?" Makoto wondered.

"Or come up with some kind of trap for those creatures?" Minako suggested.

"I think the best would be finding out what we're facing…" Ami opined. "We have to keep searching, the answer has to be close!"

"Whatever you do", came Luna's voice, as the black cat jumped on the table, "you have to do it quickly. You can't afford many more encounters like the last ones. Artemis and I are already searching our database…but we haven't come up with anything."

The situation looked severe for the Sailor Team. Each new confrontation with the unknown enemy was more dangerous and more challenging than the last. And unbeknownst to them, things were about to get critical—for what worse danger is there, than the eruption of a long-simmering conflict among friends?

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	8. Confrontation:Friend Against Friend

**Chapter VII b)- Confrontation: Friend Against Friend**

The noise of broken porcelain pulled her out of her reverie.

"Oh, Hotaru-chan…"

The baby regarded her with bright eyes, alight with delighted pride. On the floor next to the tall baby-chair lay the shards of what had been Setsuna's coffee cup.

"Look at the mess you've done…" she said in a scolding tone, but instantly felt contrite, as Hotaru's eyes filled with tears. "No, little one, I know it's not your fault, I should have been paying attention…" She bent to pick the broken pieces. "I need a bigger cup anyway…" she said with a small trace of bitter irony.

"What's going on here?" Haruka's head popped through the kitchen door, and the blonde eyed the mess on the floor. "Uh-oh, did you try feeding her carrot puree again?"

"I don't feel quite that brave today", the other replied. "She just knocked over my cup of coffee."

"Need help cleaning this up?"

"Not really…it was my fault anyway. I should've kept my eyes on her, but I was miles away…"

"Where were you?"

Both of them turned at the sound of Michiru's voice. Setsuna immediately recoiled at the question—she had been acutely aware of her friend's veiled prodding the past days, and felt somewhat hassled.

"Right next to her—but she's quick!", she replied, purposely misinterpreting the question. She had often resorted to that tactic with Michiru lately.

"Right."

Haruka felt the friction between them, a tension that had been escalating recently. She was well aware of Michiru's suspicions that Setsuna was hiding something—and mostly agreed to her partner. What she did not understand was the blue-eyed girl's unusual assertiveness, her unexplained irritability towards their friend. Silently, Haruka thought Michiru had a secret reason of her own, but had been reluctant to bring up the topic in the already tense atmosphere of late.

"Maybe Hotaru was just looking for your attention", the aqua-haired girl said with a small shrug. "Babies feel abandoned easily at this age."

"I didn't think of that…I'll spend more time with her."

"You could take her along on your walks…"

Setsuna let out a small sigh, and replied in a neutral tone:

"Yes, I could." She walked towards the door. "I'll get a towel to clean that mess", she said by means of pretext.

Michiru cut her retreat, her usually good-natured expression replaced by a serious, almost demanding appearance.

"Will you tell us what is going on?"

Setsuna dodged the directness as she had dodged the subtleties.

"I haven't learnt anything about the new enemy yet. I will let you know as soon as…"

"That's not all I was referring to."

Hearing the edge in her partner's voice, Haruka decided to stop the game of innuendos and ask the question directly.

"Something is happening to _you_, isn't it?"

Her inquiry was met with not so much as a flinch. In truth, Setsuna felt her equanimity slip away. But her millennia-long duties had taught her to rein her inherent temper—she had developed patience and an indissoluble composure. Straight-faced, she shrugged in feigned puzzlement.

"I'm not really sure what you're talking about…"

"Come on, I know you, we know each other too well for this dance…" Haruka replied in a jaded tone.

"Indulge me", the green-haired young woman replied, in a voice dripping sarcasm. "Perhaps you'd like to explain the interrogatory."

The sudden antagonism from one she had always pictured as the quintessence of level-headedness shocked Haruka. Instinctively, she backpedaled:

"It's not…"

"Save it, Haruka! I'll gladly explain it."

Michiru kept a low tone, yet her expression conveyed annoyance.

"Do so already!" Setsuna challenged.

"Alright…"

Had she been any calmer, she would have noticed the same heated expression mirrored on the other's face, and perhaps backed down. But she didn't.

"You don't take part in the fight, refuse to discuss the new threat or drop a single word on it, disappear for hours doing God-only-knows what—and please" she said with a wave of her hand, "don't even try to tell me it's all part of some mission of the guardian of Time. I've heard you all these nights, and seen you drift off during the day and almost constantly avoid all of us, even Hotaru!"

"Maybe I was avoiding the constant grilling—"

"Maybe there wouldn't be a need for grilling if you'd only tell us—"

"There's _nothing_ to _tell_!"

Setsuna was shocked at her own shout—she couldn't remember the last time she had been so angry.

A frightened cry erupted from behind them. Hotaru regarded her three adoptive parents with wide, fearful eyes. Giving her friends a reproachful look, Haruka moved to comfort her, while the other two remained motionless, their bodies still tense from the confrontation. The sandy blonde took the baby in her arms, all clumsiness gone from her moves. She walked to the door, and motioned Michiru out of the kitchen as well—she had no intention of allowing the conflict to escalate any further.

Her partner nodded in silent agreement and preceded her out.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Once Hotaru was safely in her cradle, Haruka had come downstairs, to find Michiru waiting on the sofa. Some of the anger on her partner's face had vanished, but not all.

"Not really. You're not the one I want to hear talking right now", the aqua-haired girl replied almost rancorously.

"Michiru, listen to yourself. This doesn't sound like you at all! Setsuna didn't sound like herself back in the kitchen, either!"

"She hasn't been acting like herself recently."

"Neither have you."

Michiru raised a regretful gaze towards her partner. She swallowed hard before speaking again:

"I've…seen her. In the mirror. It was different from any signs I've seen before! It…looked bad. I _know _something is wrong."

"I know…but she always has a reason to keep things to herself. I don't like it any more than you do, but I'm not willing to start this kind of arguments over it."

"She _has_ to let us help, this time."

"You've seen the extent of Setsuna's powers, Michiru. Give her credit… she can handle a lot. I'm worried, too, but I trust she'd ask for our help if she needed it."

"You don't understand, Haruka…"

She sounded genuinely frightened.

"I saw her light burnt out… I… I think I saw her _die._ "

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AN: The last chapter is written—but it will take a bit longer to get there. **

**Meanwhile, I'd love to get some more reviews—honestly, if it hadn't been for the hit count (or whatever they call it) system I think my story would have died an early death. As it is, I plan on putting my best effort to finish it :) but that's because Iwhat happensin the next chapters;) and promise it'll be good! **

**So, make sure you let me know what you think this far! **

**Myosotis**


	9. And If Answers Shed No Light

**Chapter VIII- And If Answers Really Shed No Light…**

Some issues are better left alone, some things better left unsaid. Yet, when too much has been said, there's no turning back. And if you do backpedal, there will always be one more loose end to worry about.

That was what Setsuna felt. As she lay on a side in her bed, watching the sunrise drive away another sleepless night, she thought back on the changes of recent days. She and Michiru had come to a silent truce, that had staved off any further frictions, but not eased things between them.

That was what Michiru and Haruka felt, as well. The sandy blonde had convinced her partner not to press the issue any further, but they both knew the settlement could only be temporary.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"No, you're not having Haruka-papa's chocolate pancake for breakfast and that's final!"

The blonde mentally cursed whoever had thought of calling their house at that critical hour, and was keeping Michiru on the phone for so long. Fighting to spoon-feed Hotaru had proved a particularly difficult task for the "papa" in question. She had pleaded and coaxed, but the baby stubbornly refused the proffered spoon, instead pointing her chubby fingers at Haruka's plate and letting out expressive yelps.

Sitting opposite from them at the table, Setsuna—much more at ease around the blonde—watched the exchange in amusement.

"This is _baby_ food, and that means it has _your_ name on it, squirt! No, not my plate, that's grown-up food, bad!"

"I think she just wants whatever you're having" Setsuna provided in a relaxed tone.

"Oh? Well, I'm having this yummy…stuff…see, Hotaru? This tastes much better than the yucky pancake, it's absolutely delic—_ugh_!" She tried the baby food and immediately made a grimace of disgust. "No wonder you won't eat it, my bike fuel must taste better!"

Hotaru erupted into gleeful giggles.

Setsuna smiled dreamily—a smile that swiftly turned to an expression of discomfort, as the—now familiar—sensation of dread crept up her spine. The prospect of another vision approaching almost made her sick. The terror mounted inside her for no apparent reason, and she knew she would live it again.

"Not now, damn it…"

The edges of her vision darkened as the terrifying dream overtook her again. She fought for a grip on reality, but quickly lost the battle. All the surrounding noises were muffled, and the objects around her seemed to lose shape, as blackness build around her in the same confining sphere.

"Setsuna?"

Haruka watched in shock as her friend leaned heavily against the edge of the table. Setsuna's breaths came out short and erratic, and small beads of sweat appeared at her temples. She gripped the wooden edge so tightly that her knuckles had gone white.

"What's happening to you…?"

The young woman's whole body seemed to shake slightly, while her fingers still grasped the table for support. Eventually, her grip seemed to relax, and the shaking subsided. She let out a long sigh and leaned her head against her arm in exhaustion.

"Still claiming there's nothing wrong?"

Michiru's voice came from the doorway. Despite the underlying irony, concern pervaded her words. As Setsuna raised her eyes, she saw the other reaching her a glass of water. Silently, she nodded her thanks and took a long sip, enjoying the sensation of the cold glass against her palm.

That moment, she made her decision.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"You're right. It is something serious. I'm…not sure I want to talk about it."

"Why don't you trust…"

"This has nothing to do with trust."

"Then let us help!"

Setsuna gave the two a tired smile.

"I don't think you can."

She took a deep breath, and another sip of the cold water. Then, she gestured for them to sit at the kitchen table. Taking a seat opposite to the two, she straightened her shoulders and begun her confession.

"It's true. Something is happening, not only to Tokyo in general, but to me in particular. I have tried to get to the bottom of it, but I'm worn out and still no closer to an answer. And I don't think one will come forth any time soon."

Matter-of-factly, in a tone that betrayed neither fear nor sadness, she talked about the nightmares, the loss of her powers and the feeling of vulnerability that came with it. Haruka and Michiru listened to the whole story, and in each word, they searched a way out of the crisis. But no solution was apparent.

As Setsuna spoke further, the aqua-haired girl distinguished confusion in her tone, a note of insecurity she had never heard before. The Guardian of Time had always had an air of mysterious certainty about her—and without it she resembled the incredibly sad picture of a lost child still clinging to the illusion of the right way.

"Why did you let this happen?"

Michiru's sudden question rang out in the well-lit kitchen.

"You've always _known _things…so why not now? Why can't you tell what's wrong this time?"

Setsuna raised the glass to her lips once more, pondering the answer. When she spoke again, her tone was even and unaffected as before, yet her gaze betrayed insecurity.

"I've asked myself the same question countless times. I never saw any of this coming… or… maybe I've read the signs wrong." She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "You know I can't see the future, Michiru… It's not like I study the time stream like an open book… I don't have a list with all the possible outcomes of our lives. I have very little foreknowledge."

Puzzlement showed clearly on the others' faces. Setsuna tried to find a better way of explaining.

"What I have is instinct—no, intuition. It is in my blood, the ability to _feel _the right course of action, the key points at a certain moment in time, the changes made in the time stream… The fabric of Time itself is weaved within my mind and my soul…that is the heritage of Cronos' bloodline."

"When I feel something is about to go wrong, I consider my options. My intuition leads me to choose the right one… but it is not foolproof, not by far. It simply…tends to be right more often than not. Yet deep inside, I would always second-guess myself…if I had the time to." Her lips formed a small smile. "You'd be amazed to know how little time the Guardian herself actually has. Supervising the thousands of futures and realities of our world…I can't exactly take them one at a time. It would take me a millennium to make sure just things go they way they should for one minute."

"That's…incredible…" Haruka exclaimed. "I've always wondered how you did it…but…this is all…"

"Not what you expected?"

The sandy blonde simply nodded.

"It was my intuition that led me to come to this dimension, to bring Hotaru here, and ask for help raising her." Uncertainty once more became evident in her stance. "Perhaps it was wrong. Yet…I can't detect any changes in the time stream. But I'm not even sure I still possess that ability…"

Her attitude was not one of self-pity, and it was not a call for help. They had asked for the facts, and she had tried to lay them out as objectively as possible. And they all knew, they had absolutely nothing to work with.

"Get dressed", Michiru suddenly instructed in a no-nonsense tone, "and I'll get Hotaru ready too. We have to go out so she's coming with us."

The sudden change in topic puzzled the other two, but she was quick to offer a reason.

"That was Usagi on the phone. They think they have some new information. I said we'd meet them at the temple in an hour."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AN: Preview of the next chapter:**

"_I think I might know where the creatures come from."_

_xxxxx_

"…_it all began with the end of Mugen Academy…"_

…

"_As you all know, a total eclipse of the Sun will occur in two days."_

…

"_That's impossible."_

…

"_Does that mean Pharaoh 90…or something worse… is on its way again?"_

_xxxxx_

"_I'm…not sure yet. We can't know why the Sailor Planet Attack can defeat them."_

"_It can't"._

"_What if more of them come through!"_

**But before we get there, I need to hear a comment or two;) thank you for staying with the story! Ja ne!**

**Myosotis**


	10. But Make Darkness into Shades of Grey?

**AN: Thank you for the reviews! If you have any more questions I'll gladly offer a small spoiler-ish answer;)**

**Chapter IX-…but Only Make Darkness Into Shades of Grey?**

"I think I might know where the creatures come from."

Ami's grave expression belied the shyness in her tone and the uncertainty in her words. She was well aware of seven pairs of eyes eagerly fixed on her, and hoped her theory would not disappoint any of her friends. She could see the impatience written on their faces. Usagi and Minako had leaned forward, as if being ten inches closer to her could have brought the answer sooner. Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna kept calm as usual, but even they betrayed a certain tension.

"I…I think it all began with the end of Mugen Academy…"

Shock showed on their faces, as the painful memories surfaced. Ami knew all to well what they were thinking, but did not allow the reminiscing to go on for long.

"The explosion released a great amount of energy… that under normal circumstances should have inflicted greater damage. But that energy was somehow stopped from forming a shockwave. At first sight, it seems to have simply dissipated…which is impossible. Energy doesn't disappear, it must be consumed somehow."

She paused for a moment, to choose her words, conscious of the impact the next sentence would have.

"I believe the explosion caused an inter-dimensional rift of sorts."

"That's impossible."

Ami had almost expected the reply. She watched Setsuna as the older woman explained:

"No amount of energy resulted from that explosion could have been enough to open such a fissure. The fabric of each world is resistant to much more than that."

"I think…we must remember that Mistress Nine"—she saw the others wince at the name that brought so many bad memories—"opened an inter-dimensional doorway. She used the Grail to tear the fabric of our reality—and even if the gap was eventually closed, it must have left some damage."

"And made it easier for the explosion to reopen a portal between dimensions…! Does that mean Pharaoh 90 or something worse is on its way again?" Jupiter's alarmed suggestion drove shivers down everyone's spines.

"No."

Again, Setsuna shook her head. As the others directed curios looks to her, she pondered for a moment whether to reveal the next piece of information.

"I admit…at that time, I envisioned the possibility as well. After the explosion, I checked for cracks in the dimensional structure. I can assure you, there were none."

Ami did not let up.

"But had the integrity of the structure been left vulnerable?"

Setsuna gave her a strange look, as the meaning of the girl's question began to make sense. Silently, she nodded.

"Then it is not impossible for another pressure to tear reality again…"

"The amount of energy necessary would still need to be quite formidable", the other replied, "but it is certainly possible."

Ami gave her a look, as she prepared to expose the rest of her theory. She was surprised to see Setsuna slowly nod in encouragement—could the older girl already know what she was going to say?

"I have an idea as to what could produce the extra strain. As you all know, a total eclipse of the Sun will occur in two days." She saw the sudden understanding on the others' faces. "I think…I think that is what has reopened the rift between dimensions."

Makoto thought back on the Physics class she had almost slept through. The teacher had mentioned something about the short-term changes the eclipse caused…

Instinctively, Haruka looked to the guardian of Time, seeking confirmation. The young woman acquiesced with a nod.

"The variations in the magnetic field could prove enough to effect that".

Although no one had been inclined to doubt Ami, the substantiation coming from Setsuna served to put aside even the smallest misgiving.

"So, they're from another dimension?" Makoto tried to see how the new information could be helpful in defeating the enemy. "But…why are they invulnerable to our attacks…?"

"I can only guess the world they come from is so fundamentally different from ours…that they simply do not react to the same elements as we do. Like fire, water, electricity…"

"But then, how come the combined attack always works?" Usagi questioned.

Ami gave a small shrug.

"I'm…not sure yet. We can't know what their world is like…or why the Sailor Planet Attack can defeat them."

"It can't". Setsuna again cut in. As everyone's attention turned to her, she continued: "At least, not the way you imagine. Think how their dimension is essentially dissimilar from ours—_so unlike_ the world we know, that we cannot even envision it. None of our attacks work—it would only be natural to believe no combination could have any effect, and yet…"

She paused for a second, turning to Ami, to give the blue-haired girl the chance to figure the rest by herself.

"And yet…" Ami repeated, "it works…it works precisely because it combined all of our powers!" She seemed genuinely elated to have found the answer. "It's the energy released! Enough to create a momentary dimensional rift by itself!"

"That makes sense", Haruka commented. "But it's not good enough if those things keep coming at us. We need to seal the fissure."

"I'm not sure how we can do that…the most I could do is locating it. But closing it…?" Ami gave Setsuna a questioning look.

"We can't, or at least not yet. Not while the magnetic and electric fields change under the influence of the eclipse."

"What if more of them come through?" Usagi asked in alarm.

No one answered. Somehow, the new information suddenly seemed to put them not closer to, but much farther from victory.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"What are you thinking about? You've been silent all the way back."

In the backseat of Haruka's car, Setsuna idly caressed Hotaru's dark locks, seemingly lost in thought. At the question, she raised her eyes to notice the blonde's gaze in the rear mirror.

"I still feel something essential is missing from the picture."

"It is, most of all for you! You didn't tell the others about—"

"I didn't see the point in telling them."

"Do you see any connection between the inter-dimensional fissure and your nightmares…" Michiru asked, then added after a short hesitation, "or the loss of your powers?"

The other was silent for a second.

"Maybe."

As she did not appear to continue, Haruka eyed her in the mirror again.

"Well?"

"I'll have to check something…"

The blonde nodded, and focused back on the road. Michiru did the same, yet with her mind's eye, she saw not the city lights, but the fearsome images the mirror had shown her.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Ami-chan?"

Usagi's furrowed brow gave the girl a troubled look.

"If their world is so different from ours… how do we know they're our enemies?"

"One of them attacked Uranus, Usagi-chan!" Makoto pointed out. "The last one we met was about to wreck the park, and hurt Ami-chan! Plus there've been rumors of strange attacks in this area…"

"But…we attacked them first, that time in the park…" the blonde said in a small voice.

"How do you know? The truth is, we can't be sure. We couldn't afford to wait for a creature to hurt one of us then, and we can't afford it now."

"Can't we talk to them…?"

Ami shook her head in disappointment.

"I don't think that's possible. Usagi-chan, we are talking about an entirely different perspective on the world, one that none of us can even imagine. I've thought about it for a long time…but I can see no possible way of communication."

"So we'll just keep attacking them simply because they are different? If our world is so strange to them, how can they possibly _want_ to cause any damage?"

"Usagi…"

Rei's voice had lost the ironic edge it usually had when she addressed the girl. Instead, it was warm, and compassionate affection shone in the brunette's dark eyes.

"I know you don't want anyone hurt… but they are the enemy, and we can't change that. If it's us or them…that's not really a matter of choice."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Preview of next chapter:**

"_I can't fight them…"_

_"You'd rather see them harm the people around us, then? Are you ready to take that chance?"_

_xxx_

"_Why do I feel more a villain than a hero?"_

_xxx_

_"I suppose being kindhearted doesn't always pay."_

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_"Did you find what you were looking for?"_

_xxx_

_"I can't protect myself against it." _

_xxx_

_"So what caused the nightmares…?"_

_"I did."_

_xxx_

_"The waters are growing restless again…!"_

_"I feel them shifting to announce an event of tremendous gravity…"_

_xxx_

_"Mercury detected an immense energy release at the former Academy headquarters! They think the portal might have become permanent!"_

**AN: Why did Michiru see what she did in the mirror? Will more creatures appear?**

**Next chapter: the issue of the enemy creatures leads to a conflict in the Sailor Team. Should they attack or try to reason with the unknown antagonists? Meanwhile, Setsuna gets her long-awaited answer… **

**Want to read more? Let me know! ;) Please take a second to leave a comment. Thank you for reading the story!**

**Myosotis**


	11. In Which the Title Is Explained

**AN: Thanks so much for reviewing—I appreciate it a lot:)! Enjoy the next part: **

**Chapter X-In Which the Title Is Explained**

"Ami-chan…up again this late?" Just back from the hospital, the girl's mother was somewhat irritated to find Ami awake. "I thought we'd talked about using the _day _for schoolwork…"

"Yes, mama."

With a sigh, Amiclosed the book she had been reading. Her mother casually glanced at the cover.

"**Great Victories Across History**…? Interesting choice of read…"

"Yeah…did you know how many innocents were sacrificed for these victories? Or how many times the opposing sides fought simply because their cultures were too different?"

Her mothergave her a strange look.

"Why are you reading this, Ami-chan?"

The girl did not reply; instead, she sighed again, almost inaudibly.

"How do you know who strikes first in a battle…?"

"Most of the times…it doesn't matter." The mother's voice was soothing and deep, as she idly caressed her child's hair. "When the two parties don't know each other well enough…there's always misunderstandings. None throws the first punch…but both receive it. And before they know it, they're engaged in a vicious circle they can't escape."

Ami thought of the creatures they had been confronting in the past days. Who _had _attacked first?

People had reported strange, seemingly invulnerable assailants before the first battle in the park. Ami had seen the police reports, all the same. Black, shadow-like creatures that marched relentlessly, causing property damage and frightening the people. Yet no one had actually been hurt.

So…had the Senshi scored the first hit when Neptune had charged the intruder in the park? They had all attacked, and eventually defeated it. Had that provoked the others of its kind?

Yet…the first creature had been attacking Setsuna-san. And it had hurt Sailor Uranus with the electric discharge. The others had acted similarly: they adapted, and swiftly returned all the attacks employed against them. The local authorities were overwhelmed.

So…who had thrown the first punch? They would never know. They were already caught in the battle, that carried itself on with or without their consent.

"Why does it have to be that way…?"

"I don't know…that must be the way of the world. Maybe it will change one day…"

Ami thought of the future Crystal Tokyo, and prayed her mother's hope would prove true.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Late that night, when most of the lights in the neighborhood had gone out, Usagi tossed sleepless in her bed. A vague unease, an errant thought at the back of her mind nagged her. She turned the memory of their recent battles on all sides in her mind, looking for something…some miracle sign that they were not in the wrong.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Down in her study room, Setsuna regarded the glowing computer screen with increasing fascination. The recent discoveries had put her on the right trail. What she read now could have been the answer to her most pressing question.

But the answer appeared less a salvation, than a veiled sentence.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The morning sun had risen on the sky, when Haruka left the house the next day. She looked left and right, before pushing Hotaru's baby-wheels out the front gate of their small garden. For a second, she winced, half-expecting to hear a camera click; she could almost smell the ink on the freshly printed headlines of that evening's tabloids. The unwanted attention from the press had been one of the reasons she and Michiru had wanted to leave Tokyo…but at Setsuna's urging, they had returned.

Thankfully, their home was in an area private enough so that no prying reporter's eye could disturb them. She walked Hotaru at a slow, relaxed pace, enjoying the fresh warmth of the early sun. From time to time, she adjusted the covering of the baby-cart to protect the little one from too much sunlight. Lost in her own thoughts, she barely realized how far she had come in the morning walk. Just as she was about to return, she spotted a familiar figure in an empty bus station, sitting alone on the edge of the iron railing.

The sight was unusual, and slightly unsettling.

"Hey, kitten. Got lost again?"

Usagi raised her blue eyes, and the other saw sadness and doubt reflected in them.

"What's wrong?" she inquired in concern.

"Nothing", the blonde whispered, but her entire slouched countenance was evidence to the contrary.

Haruka leaned on the other side of the railing, and slightly tickled Hotaru's belly, making the baby give a small cry of joy.

"I'm here if you want to talk about it."

For a few minutes, Usagi kept silence. Then, she suddenly spoke in a far-away voice.

"The first time Luna told me I was Sailor Moon…I fought a monster that impersonated Naru's mother to steal energy from people. And when our memories returned because the cardians attacked people again… Or when the first daimon appeared and we foiled its plan…"

Haruka simply listened to the other's unfinished sentences, not sure of what they meant.

"Why did I never wonder then if those creatures actually deserved to be destroyed?" Distress was evident in the girl's voice. "Was it because I was selfish or short-sighted or…heartless?"

The young woman began to grasp the nature of Usagi's plight.

"I can't fight them…" the smaller girl confessed.

Haruka frowned down at her, and replied in an almost admonishing tone:

"You'd rather see them harm the people around us, then? You've seen how nothing affects these creatures…what if they get angry, or panic, and start running amok in Tokyo? Are you ready to take that chance?"

Anxiety weighed down on Usagi's shoulders, and caused her voice to tremble.

"I always urged an enemy to stop before attacking, although deep inside I always knew they wouldn't heed my instructions."

"I suppose being kindhearted doesn't always pay." Haruka commented. "Inviting the enemy to surrender wastes time and energy, and would sooner get you killed."

"But I always felt at peace just for offering the option…but what difference did it make? In the end, I knew how things would turn out, the monster would end up as moondust…and I was happy about it."

"That's because you always fought for what you knew was right, kitten."

"So why" the girl murmured, "can't I fight now? Why do I feel more a villain than a hero?"

Haruka gave a small sigh.

"Because this is a war neither side wants…yet neither can avoid. Us and _them,_ we are reluctant enemies thrust into this battle by events independent of our will."

"But that's not fair!" the blonde cried softly. "Enemies are the ones who want to hurt you! They work on evil schemes and order monsters to attack people!"

"It may not be fair, but it's reality. I wish you didn't have to see it, kitten…but you shouldn't keep seeing everything in black and white. The world is all in shades of grey…"

Usagi turned tearful eyes towards her friend.

"What should I do…?"

Haruka looked down at her, and silently lamented the loss of her naïveté.

"Maybe I should tell you to listen to your heart" she finally replied, in a dispassionate tone. "But the ways of the heart often get you lost in the real world. You need to do what is necessary, kitten. We all need to." After a short pause, she spoke the next words with a sententious finality: "Maybe we didn't start this battle…but we're going to end it."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AN: What did Setsuna find out? What will Sailor Moon do—is Haruka right, does being kindhearted really not pay? **

**On a different note, this story is entirely finished and I will be posting chapters as I re-edit them. Also, I will probably revisit previous chapters,(in case you do find something you didn't recall reading about before:)…that's the reason), but there will be no major changes. **

**And one final thing: please review! Thanks, **

**Myosotis:)**


	12. Final Answers

**Chapter XI-Final Answers**

"Tsumbono-san…?"

The dark-haired scientist turned at the call, grunting under the weight of the glass case he was maneuvering.

"Could I have a minute of your time…?"

The man gawked ever-so-slightly at the young woman who had approached him. Elegantly clad, with rich, dark-green hair that fell down to her knees, she hardly resembled one of the workers he had hired to help with the closing of the flower show.

"Uhm…I'm a little busy now, see—hey!" he shouted at one of the men carrying a red blossom in a frail-looking crystal vase—"be careful with that, it's unique! I'm sorry…" he resumed, "I need to supervise everything myself…"

"It will only take a second, I promise."

"I don't know…" Tsumbono hesitated, his gaze moving from the encased plant in his arms to the young woman's amiable smile. "I, uhm, really have to make sure these are safe, but, maybe…"

"Great, I'll wait until you move it, then" she concluded in apparent delight.

As no further argument occurred to him, the scientist swallowed hard. In a few seconds, however, his usual aplomb returned:

"How about you give me a hand?" he suggested. He gestured toward the plant he was carrying: "This and that case over there are the last ones of my hybrids; I'm transporting them myself, just to be sure. If you can pick that up, we'll take both to my car and then I'll give you three a ride to the nearest coffee-shop."

With a small shrug, she moved to pick up the indicated glass case and followed the man to his car. Casually, she noticed the plant inside looked familiar: it was the same wispy brownish stem she had viewed before. That brought another topic to her mind:

"How did you handle the…incident…from a few days ago, doctor?"

Without stopping, he inquired:

"Are you a reporter, Miss? Looking for an interview?"

"Merely a curious admirer of your work…"

"Oh…so my words won't make the headlines then? Pity…" he joked, then seemed to become graver. "I wish I could get my hands on whatever creature wrecked my displays! Or" he continued as an afterthought, "on those so-called heroes who couldn't find a better place to fight their battle…"

As he walked ahead of her, he luckily missed her expression.

"It took a lot of work to replace the casings and rearrange everything…and I actually considered ending the show early. It was precisely the hybrids that took the brunt of the attack. My most recent and precious work…almost destroyed!"

While talking, he opened the door to his car and carefully strapped the glass casing on the backseat.

"It was precisely these hybrids I wanted to talk to you about" the young woman mentioned.

"Amazing, aren't they? And to think just a few weeks ago I was wasting my time with theories on biotope interactions…when this great breakthrough was so close…"

"Could—"

"So much damage…" he interrupted, taking the last container from her hands. "Take this plant for example…they broke the protective glass around it! It took almost two days to fix that!"

"You mean, buy a new one…?"

"Miss, obviously I bought a new casing—but that's not what I meant. It took two days to cleanse this area of the park of any spores that might have escaped the barrier."

She listened out of politeness—but suddenly, her interest seemed to soar.

"Spores?"

"Haven't read the displayed information too carefully, have you? This plant continually releases spores—although they require special conditions to serve their reproductive purposes. Still", the scientist added with a shrug, "I couldn't afford having bits of my masterpiece floating around in a public park, could I?"

She kept silent for a second, seemingly lost in thought.

"Anyway…what did you want to ask, Miss?"

She gave him a direct stare.

"I wanted to know—how is it possible for the hybrid to replicate the properties of the surrounding organisms?"

"Aah…I'm sorry, I can't reveal my secret…you're not competition are you?"

"Not really. Tell me then", she asked with a slight frown, "could this ability be…transmitted to any other organisms…maybe even human?"

Tsumbono's gaze suddenly showed a new respect, as he replied:

"No." His tone had lost its cheerfulness. "Trust me, Miss…I've asked myself the same question countless times. So much could be done…if only I could discover how to copy that ability. But I honestly believe it cannot be done. It is a property of this plant alone…"

She shook her head in disbelief.

"You _have _to know the mechanism! Otherwise, how could you have created the plant in the first place?"

The jovial countenance completely left the man. He opened the door to the driver's seat.

"As I said before, I cannot reveal my methods" he spoke in a cold tone. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do. Goodbye."

The young woman followed the car with a long, thoughtful stare. Then, she turned on her heels and looked back at the park, her eyes searching for something unseen.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"I need to talk to you…"

_Upon arriving back at home, Setsuna had gone up to her room with very few words to her friends. She wished to be alone for a while._

_She was afraid._

_She had felt fear before in her life, fear for her dear ones and for herself, for the world she lived in—or sometimes just out of—and for the people that inhabited it._

_But never before had she felt the gut-wrenching panic that befell her at the moment._

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

_The day before, following the meeting at the temple, she had come up with a theory of her own. The missing connection between the upcoming confrontation and her nightmare visions. The whole night, she had spent thinking back on her millennia of learning—and she had remembered; she had **known**. _

"It has very much to do with the creation of all Sailor soldiers…"

_No one had thought of it in ages. The powers of each Sailor warrior came from their guardian planets. The Senshi had the innate ability to harness the energy of their planets, and their strength was proportional to the amount of energy the planet could offer. Sailor Moon was the most powerful, of course, since the Moon was the source that had awakened the entire solar system…_

"The solar eclipse is affecting all of us, in a way I would have never thought possible…"

_Changes effected by the eclipse interfered with the energy the nine planets granted their chosen defenders. For a short while, the eclipse stopped the energy flux towards Earth—and towards the Senshi—and sometimes even reversed it, causing the warrior's energy to decrease. All of them should have been experiencing that effect…_

"But no other of us does!"

_Normally, it would have taken tremendous—possibly even fatal—effort for a Sailor warrior to access her powers during that period. But during their life on Earth, the Senshi's abilities had, naturally, adapted to compensate that weakness. Even before they had been awakened, they had subconsciously learnt to preserve their energy during the many solar and lunar eclipses they had lived through._

"Except…I was never exposed, never had to learn how to do it. I can't protect myself against it."

_Beyond the boundaries of space, the Gates of Time had protected her from any fluctuations in energy. None of the changes in the dynamics of the planets had ever affected her. Her powers had never suffered any changes, either upgrades or decreases. She had always been the same, for millennia._

"So what caused the nightmares…?"

"I did."

_Long before, she had learnt about the source of the Senshi's energy, and the causes that could affect it. But those memories had not come to her in time. Subconsciously, she had sent herself a warning, in the form of the terrifying visions. Had she anticipated the effects the eclipse would have on her, she would have traveled back to the Gates for a short while…but by the time she realized the meaning of her dreams, it was too late. Unable to transform into Sailor Pluto, she could not reach Gates of Time._

"There's absolutely nothing I can do."

Michiru and Haruka nodded in understanding, silently thankful that they had not been affected in the same way on the verge of the new crisis.

"We'll wait, then…" Michiru spoke soothingly. "The eclipse will happen in less than two days; everything will come back to normal afterwards."

"We can't even try to seal the fissure before that, anyway" Haruka pointed out.

"As long as there are no other effects"—the aqua-haired girl paused a second, but Setsuna shook her head in a silent answer—"going without your powers for a short while…it can't be too bad…?"

She tried to put as much conviction into her words as she could muster. Yet, the upsetting images the mirror had shown her remained clear in her memory. She had seen her friend die...

Had it all been a warning, or a prediction…?

Suddenly, Michiru closed her eyes, a worried frown clouding her expression.

"The waters are growing restless again…"

"I feel it too!" Setsuna's voice was marred by anxiety and alarm. "The sands of Time are stirring… I feel them shifting to announce an event of tremendous gravity…"

At that very moment, the communicator watches on Michiru's and Haruka's wrists beeped. As they were the only ones who ever used the link, the two partners gave each other uneasy glances before answering.

"This is Luna! Mercury detected an immense energy release at the former headquarters of Muugen Academy! She thinks the portal might have become permanent! They're headed there to investigate, you have to go help them!"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_They _perceived in fascination as the known reality ripped.

The unwelcome change was violent, illogical and panic-wreaking. Instinct dictated that fleeing to safety was the only option. In the middle of _their_ twisting world, however, there was nothing recognizable left to be deemed as safe.

But when from the giant tear of reality came the vaguest familiar scent, _they_ swarmed towards it.

One second—or perhaps an infinity later—_their _world lost its contours, and new surroundings shaped around _them. _

The familiar scent lingered, faint yet unmistakably known. _They _gathered in formation and, one after another, began their relentless march.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AN: What's Tsumbono hiding about his hybrids? Will Setsuna stay out of the battle? And just what happened at the place where Mugen stood? What do you think of the story this far? You answer that last question and I'll take care of the rest;) **

**Preview of the next chapter:**

"_I **saw** you in the mirror, Setsuna. If you come now…it won't end well."_

"_Thank you for the concern…but I'll be fine. I promise."_

…

"_We're not going to try to stop you…"_

…

"_I know what drew them here." _

"_I'm going to try to prevent it from attracting any more…and pray you can handle the ones that came through this time."_

**Comments, questions, guesses welcome! **

**Myosotis**


	13. The Eve of Battle: part 1

**Chapter XII- The Eve of Battle, part 1**

The humid evening brought about an unexpected heat-wave. As the houses in the peaceful neighborhood prepared for another quiet night, not even a leaf rustled, not a blade of grass moved with the wind. The warm air was unusually still. It seemed charged with a barely discernable tension. More than one face peeked from behind a pastel-colored curtain, staring keenly at the silent darkening skies. Pairs of curious eyes watched the Moon emerge. It would make its way across the sky, on its inexorable path that would, in few hours, bring it right between Earth and the Sun.

**"Mars Star Power, Make Up!"**

In the temple yard, Rhei changed into Sailor Mars, and intently focused on reading any new, strange auras in the City.

**"Mercury Star Power, Make Up!"**

Ami transformed to Sailor Mercury, and proceeded to check her minicomputer for any new information on the unexpected surge of energy.

**"Jupiter Star Power, Make Up!"**

Sailor Jupiter straightened her shoulders, ready to take on any new enemies.

**"Venus Star Power, Make Up!"**

Changing into Sailor Venus, Minako wondered what strategy would bring them success in the following battle.

**"Moon Cosmic Power, Make Up!"**

As she felt the powers of the Moon wash over her, Usagi prayed she would be strong enough and wise enough to handle the upcoming crisis.

"Alright, let's go! It shouldn't take us long to get there!"

The five warriors rushed along the streets, in the amazed look of the passer-bys, until they disappeared down the road, in the waning light of the setting sun.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Minutes later, at the Outer's house…_

Michiru closed the lid to her wristwatch with a slow movement. She kept her eyes fixed on it for a long moment. Next to her, Haruka had tensed with Luna's last words, and was obviously ready to spring into action. Yet, the sapphire-eyed girl's attitude did not puzzle her.

"We're not having this discussion…there's no time for it!" the blonde decreed, with an authoritative look towards the other two.

"I agree, we—"

"That means you stay here" she cut Setsuna off. "Without your powers you can't help in a battle."

"That's not tr—"

"It's not exactly up for debate." Feeling the situation required it, Haruka stepped in the role of the leader. "You'll only divert our attention"

"I don't need you to 'look after' me, Haruka" the other replied defensively. "I can stand my own very well…"

"Not against these things, you can't!" Michiru finally spoke. "We're not going to try to stop you…"

"Thank you", Setsuna said earnestly. "I feel I need to be there when… _whatever_ is meant to happen…will."

"…but you have the right to know something first. I _saw _you in the mirror, Setsuna. If you come now…it won't end well."

The garnet eyes reflected an affectionate smile, as the other replied.

"It's all a matter of rightly interpreting the signs, Michiru. Intuition tells me I _have _to come. Thank you for the concern…but I'll be fine. I promise."

Haruka gave her partner a long look, and they seemed to agree the discussion had to end.

**"Uranus Planet Power, Make Up!"**

**"Neptune Planet Power, Make Up!"**

Changed into their Senshi form, the two gave Setsuna a resigned glance.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but we're taking the car" Uranus announced with a hint of grim amusement in her voice. "Unless you feel you can keep up…"

In response, Setsuna reached her the car keys.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The light of the slowly setting sun fell on the still water surface. The small pond was quiet in the warm evening air. No sounds came from among the ruins of the majestic construction that had been Muugen Academy. No unusual sight greeted the Sailor Team as they reached the place.

"There was a dimensional tear here", Mercury announced, checking the scene through her visor, "but it seems to have closed back on its own."

"We can't know _what _came through it…" Mars commented worriedly.

"I can't see anything—maybe nothing came through…!" Minako opined.

"That's awfully optimistic."

"The integrity of space here is still affected by the fluctuating fields; in theory, another fissure could appear any minute. But judging from the energy discharge, the last one was large enough to release much of the applied pressure." Mercury gave the others a grave look. "I'd venture to say there won't be another."

"Still have to find out if any creature passed through this time!"

Uranus's voice covered the screeching of wheels, as she hit the brakes hard. The yellow car came to a halt right next to the girls' group.

"Uranus! Neptune!" Sailor Moon frowned in disorientation. "Setsuna-san! What…?"

Ignoring the blonde's puzzlement, Setsuna got down from the car, and came close to the surface of the water. Mentally, she reached both hands to grasp the missing piece of the puzzle that kept slipping through her fingers.

Around her, the Senshi gave each other worried looks. With a small amount of relief, she noticed Small Lady was not there—they must have decided against involving her. Although, it would have been better if none of them had been involved.

She looked down at the murky waters. Something floated a small distance from the shore, and she reached for it. It was a damp sear leaf, all brittle and creased, and almost black…

_"Look at this one! It's almost black…!"_

She recalled Small Lady's surprise at seeing Tsumbono's strange-looking hybrids in the park.

"_I didn't think this was possible…at least not with evolved plants on Earth…Apparently these hybrids survive without having to undergo the process of photosynthesis!"_

Her own words rang in her memory, and Setsuna frowned harder.

_"Look!It's broken!"_

_"It took two days to cleanse this area of the park of any spores that might have escaped the glass casings…I couldn't afford having bits of my masterpiece floating around in a public park, could I?"_

Tsumbono had told her about how the plants continually released spores…he had been so worried about his hybrids and so proud to speak about them…

_"You have to know the mechanism! Otherwise, how could you have created the plant in the first place?"_

…and yet mysteriously reluctant when it came to the process of creating them.

_"Amazing, aren't they? To think only a few weeks ago I was wasting my time with theories on biotope interactions…when this great breakthrough was so close…"_

Her breath caught in her throat.

_"…only a few weeks ago…"_

_"…how could you have created the plant…"_

_"…bits of my masterpiece floating around…"_

"Oh, God…the fool!" She felt ire cloud her vision, and quickly rose to her feet in the amazed looks of the others.

"Setsuna-san…?" Sailor Moon said in a small voice. "What…"

"There's no time for questions! The creatures are in the park! You have to get there immediately!" She turned to Uranus with a determined expression. "I need the car keys. _Now_!"

The Senshi of Wind gestured towards the car.

"They're in the contact…where are you going?"

Setsuna took the driver's seat.

"I know what drew them here. I'm going to try to prevent it from attracting any more…and pray you can handle the ones that came through this time."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN: Part 2 of this chapter is coming up, but until then, I'd reaaaaally appreciate a comment ,or two. Or as many as you like, really :-D**


	14. The Eve of Battle: part 2

**AN: Thank you for reading the story. I hope you are enjoying it:)**

**Chapter XII: The Eve of Battle, part 2**

Merrily oblivious to the developing situation, Chibiusa enjoyed a particularly large cherry pancake. In front of her on the table were also a plateful of meatballs, and other appetizing sweets.

_Usagi, eat your heart out! _

The pink-haired child couldn't help a small grin at the thought of her mother-to-be's reaction ifsheever heard about the delicious meal that Chibiusa was having—and that she hadn't been invited to!

"This was all very yummy!"

"Yummy…" came a younger child's happy voice.

"Thank you very much for inviting me!" she continued with a cheerful smile. "But I should be heading home now, or Ikuko-mama will be worried.I told her I'd be back by evening..."

"You're right, Chibiusa-chan! Look, it's evening already and we didn't notice. Well, I'll be taking you home then…it was a great pleasure having you here! After all, we had to show our gratitude, right? Glad you appreciated the pancakes!"

"Pancakes!" the baby shouted in glee. "Home!" he said, pointing at himself.

"They were delicious" Chibiusa admitted. "I wish I could cook like that…"

"Maybe your mama will teach you one day…what's so funny?" he asked in confusion, as the girl had erupted into giggles.

Before she could reply, the sound of the doorbell was heard.

"Oh, excuse me for a moment while I answer the door."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

As they watched Setsuna drive off, the seven Senshi tried to make sense of what had just happened. Instinctively, the Sailor Team looked towards Uranus and Neptune for an explanation.

"It's a long story…" the sandy blonde replied to the silent questions.

"You'll hear it on the way" her partner added, as they started towards the park.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"You selfish, irresponsible fool!"

Setsuna had never been particularly inclined towards violence, but very thought of the man's recklessness made her blood boil. With a cold glare, she grabbed the collar of his shirt, pinning him against the open door.

"Do you realize what you've done! Did you take one, _ONE _single second to think it over!"

Retrieving his spirits, the man frowned menacingly, and yanked her hands off his shirt.

"What is this all about, are you mad? How dare you—"

"Quiet!"

The undercurrent of menace in her dangerously low voice scare alarmed Tsumbono.

"I'm calling the pol—"

"Call them" she challenged. "But will you have the courage to face them? Knowing how you gambled the lives of so many people…and for what?" Her tone heated again. "For fame? So that your name could 'make the headlines'? What do you think the world that now admires you will say when they find out that the _respected _Ryou Tsumbono is nothing but—" and she spoke the next words in disdain "—a fraud?"

The scientist swallowed hard. He gathered his broken countenance and showed her away from the door with one short gesture.

"I have no idea what you're talking about…now will you please leave my home!"

As she refused to move a single inch, still fixing him with the same resentful eyes, the man grabbed her arm…

…only to find himself lying face down on the cold concrete a split-second later.

"Don't try that again" she warned with a look of utter contempt. "Enough of this nonsense. As much as I wanted to, I am not here to call you on your misguided actions. Where did you take the hybrids?"

Tsumbono pushed himself upwards, as quickly as his aching body allowed him. With a look of wounded pride, he turned his back on her.

"I could make you tell me" Setsuna spoke coolly, "but you will do it willingly. Because your 'work' could be the starting point of a world-wide crisis. Because others are out there right now, risking their lives to fix _your_ mistake. And because I believe that, despite your arrogance and bad judgment, you want to make things right."

Although his back was still turned to her, she could see the botanist clench his fists.

"Those spores brought me more recognition in a month than my entire work did in years!"

"Did you ever wonder where the spores came from when you accidentally found them? Ever consider what they might _draw _into our world?"

"Don't ask me to believe they're not from our world!" the man said furiously.

"I don't need to ask you…you already believe it."

"No!"

"How many plants on Earth don't need photosynthesis to survive?"

"There are some…"

"None this advanced in terms of structure…nor are there any that can replicate the properties of the organisms around them, Doctor Tsumbono." She walked around his still figure, forcing him to face her again. "You did not create the hybrids. They reached our world through a dimensional fissure.You just_stumbled_ across them and decided to seize the chance at worldwide recognition. You ignored the dangers that the spores might contain…"

"No!" His voice was hoarse with emotion. "I checked them…checked them for any known diseases, parasites, _anything_ I could think of! There was nothing! How could I _not _seize the occasion?"

"You saw the fissure…and said nothing! What did you think would happen!"

"I didn't see anything." His shoulders were slumped in defeat. "I was studying the plant life left behind by the explosion when the spores caught my attention. After I studied them and realized they were—" his voice trembled slightly—"not from Earth…I came back to look again. But I never saw anything…"

"You're a man of great intelligence, don't ask me to believe you did not realize where the spores came from." She cut off his reply with a wave of her hand. "None of this matters now. It is late for explanations and amends on your part. Just tell me where the hybrids are."

"I can't give up…my most important work…!I've come this far…"

"You've endangered everyone in this city!" Setsuna realized she had been shouting, and lowered her tone again. "I hope you enjoyed your fifteen minutes, _Doctor_", she said bitterly, "because if anyone gets hurt because of your conceit, I will personally make sure you _pay _for it!"

"Save your threats" he replied sullenly, looking down at her. "There's nothing you can do to me."

She raised her garnet eyes to meet his. Even though he stood taller than her, the man felt cowered by the icy glare; the silent menace shimmering in their depths chilled him to the bone. She moved to close the gap between them, and reduced her voice to a barely audible whisper:

"Don't. Dare. Me."

Suddenly, the silence between them was broken by a child's voice.

"I'd listen to her, if I were you…"

From behind the open door, Chibiusa emerged, wearing the same determined expression she had had when she had first tried to obtain the Silver Crystal from Usagi.

"Small Lady!"

"Chibiusa-chan!" Tsumbono was equally shocked by the girl's words. "Go back inside, quickly!"

But the child gave him a wide-eyed stare.

"If everyone's in danger because of you…how can you _not _want to help? Don't you want to protect all those people who admire you? Who believe in you…? Like little Ryuu, or everyone who visited your show? It's okay to make mistakes…I make a lot of them, too. It feels bad at first…but when you try to correct them, it feels a lot better, you'll see!"

The man looked at her, speechless. Setsuna did the same, wondering what wicked sense of humor the fates had to involve the child they had all thought safely away from the battle.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AN: Please let me know what you think! Ja ne!**

**Myosotis**


	15. The Crisis Peaks

**Chapter XIII-The Crisis Peaks**

The night had almost completely set in. By the faint white light of the moon, the park appeared still, deserted.

But it swarmed with nightmare shadows.

Shaded by the tall trees, almost one with the growing darkness, the creatures stirred on the long, narrow alleys. Silently they flooded the area, searching for something they could not find. They glided across the concrete, in disorderly, convoluted patterns, moving back and forth in a grotesque imitation of a wild spring dance.

"There's…hundreds of them!"

Mercury's words brought about an air of almost tangible desolation.

Some distance away from the cluster of intruders, the seven Senshi had stopped to decide on a strategy. But at the blue-haired girl's shocked announcement, they had mentally envisioned defeat. They were outnumbered, overpowered, and would undoubtedly be overwhelmed.

"It doesn't matter how many there are, we have to take them on!"

"It's…it's crazy! We don't have a chance!" Venus raised her arms in an expressive gesture. "How can we deal with _hundreds_, when it took all of us to defeat _one _single creature?"

"We have to find a way to talk to them!"

"Sailor Moon…" Mercury gave her a sad look. "Please understand…that's impossible…I doubt they can even receive sounds or images on the same wavelength as us…"

"Maybe if we gather them all in one place…the Sailor Attack could take them all at once…?"

Again, Mercury shook her head.

"I don't think that would work…the rift that our attack creates isn't large enough, not by far. We'd be wasting our energy."

None of them spoke after that. They simply watched in grim fascination as, less than a hundred yards away, the creatures moved in the protecting darkness.

"Alright, new plan!" Sailor Venus suddenly raised a hand. "How about we try to contain them? You know…trap them in this area before we find a way to deal with all of them…?"

The others shared approving looks.

"Let's do it."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Tsumbono loaded a glass container in the back of the yellow convertible. The casing held all the hybrids, and the man gave them one last, longing look.

"Is this all? Good" Setsuna said as he nodded, then indicated the car with her a move of her head. "Get in."

"What…?"

"You" she spoke coldly, "are coming with me. To witness what you have caused. To watch the results of your own injudicious actions."

"Puu!" Chibiusa looked utterly shocked. "He can't come…it's too dangerous! He could get hurt!"

"Maybe he deserves it."

"What…? I…I can't believe you're saying this!" The child's red eyes shone in sadness. "What's happening to you?"

Setsuna released a long breath, and forced her body to unwind for a moment. She could feel exhaustion catching up with her—it had been a week since she had slept more than one or two hours a night. She realized tiredness affected her temper, clouding her judgment. As part of her usual composure returned, she felt regret for her earlier harshness. Maybe Small Lady was right about trying to correct mistakes…

"I'm sorry", she earnestly addressed the botanist. "I'm not the one to judge you…you'll answer to your own conscience when the time is right."

She looked towards the encased plants.

"They aren't your most important assets…your vision, your dedication and your intelligence are what make you an excellent man of science. Thanks to them, you never really needed the hybrids to achieve success…it would have come anyway."

Tsumbono opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off with a slight shake of her head.

"I hope you won't hold my harsh words against me. Maybe, when I'll have more time…I'll find the occasion to apologize properly…"

"I'm the one who should be sorry…" the man spoke slowly. "Sorry…because I was selfish, overconfident and reckless…"

The young woman opened the car door and sat behind the wheel again. Wordlessly, Chibiusa climbed on the passenger's seat. She gave her friend a long look, and Setsuna quietly nodded.

"Don't be discouraged by this…you have a real calling for your work. I'm sure you'll do a lot of good with it." Setsuna gave Tsumbono one last heartening smile. "Good luck!"

The man sat on his doorsteps, and silently watched the car drive away.

"You too…"

He had the feeling they would never meet again.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

They had tried everything.

The four Inner Senshi had tried putting up a protective barrier, but one of the creatures had casually broken through it, as if the beam of energy had not even been there.

Uranus had suggested a barrier of more…physical nature.

Heavy-hearted, they had brought one of the old trees down. It had apparently fallen on one of the intruders—perhaps even crushed it?—but the others had easily released strange energy charges that had destroyed the obstacle.

The girls were quickly running out of ideas.

And to make matters worse, the creatures had apparently been incensed. They clustered, and advanced on the seven Senshi in a menacing silence.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

She hit the brakes forcefully, throwing both of them forward against the restraining seatbelts. She then turned to the pink-haired child with a firm expression:

"I'm sorry, Small Lady. I cannot, in good conscience, take you to be a part of _whatever_ is happening at this moment."

"What? But I have to go, I have to help out as well!" Chibiusa frowned in annoyance. "I'm a Sailor warrior as well. It's my choice, and it's made!"

"There is nothing you can do to help, please understand…" Setsuna said patiently. From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the first house on the side of the road. "I'm not driving you into the heart of danger, Small Lady."

The child crossed her arms across her chest.

"I'm not getting out of this car!" she shouted.

Wordlessly, Setsuna stopped the engine and took the keys.

"That won't be a problem", she replied, opening the door to get out.

She took a few steps away from the car, and looked back. Chibiusa had not moved.

"I'm not _that _naïve!" the child cried after her. "You're just waiting for me to get down so you can drive off but I'm not doing that!"

"I thought you wouldn't…"

With a small shrug, the young woman walked up the steps to the house. Only then did the pink-haired girl take a closer look at their surroundings.

"Wait—"

But before she could get the word out, Setsuna had already rung the doorbell. Tsukino Ikuko answered with an alarmed expression, that dissolved into a smile of relief as she spotted the child in the car.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**"World…Shaking!"**

**"Deep Submerge!"**

Perhaps the attacks could not destroy the creatures—but they could at least keep them at bay for a while. Buy the warriors some time to design a new strategy, maybe. Or to allow a timer to tick down to zero, so some divine intervention could take its cue.

"What do we do!"

Sailor Moon watched in alarm as the intruders came closer, tearing through the shrubs as well as trees.

**"Burning Mandala!"**

**"Shine Aqua…Illusion!"**

The impending danger had set aside all their doubts about whether or not to fight the battle. Such was the way of things—preservation instinct would win over any other considerations. They were ready to fight…but what good did that do, when they had no means of defeating the enemy?

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Setsuna carefully set the encased hybrids down on the edge of the pond. With all her strength, she hit the glass container, shattering it to pieces. Carefully picking up the plants from among the shards, she held them up in the air, feeling the strong night breeze brush against her palms.

She hoped the spores would attract the creatures back where the dimensional rift had originally opened. The area was deserted, so no one could get hurt during a battle there—no one except the Sailor warriors. They would have to keep the intruders confined in that place until after the eclipse. Only then could she unite her powers to those of the other Senshi. The eight of them together could _perhaps_ create a dimensional fissure, and send the creatures through it…perhaps.

Of course, she could hope that no creature had come through the last fracture in their reality. Or that another portal would open and the intruders would simply go home by their own accord. Still, Setsuna knew those possibilities were simply too optimistic.

She had come up with a plan: to keep the creatures in the area, until the Senshi could open a way to the other dimension. There were no, guarantees, of course…but Setsuna felt it was the only hope to go on.

The question was…could they hold out for that long?

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"**

Jupiter's attack pushed the foremost creatures back a small distance, but the others converged from the sides. The girls had retreated considerably, but they were reluctant to leave the park…what if the attackers followed them into more populated areas?

A few of the shady intruders had come within arm's reach from Uranus and Neptune, who took the front of their small group. The two partners released their attacks once more—to little avail—and braced for contact…

…when suddenly, in perfectly coordinated movement, all the creatures stopped and turned. They stood still for a few seconds. Then, they began to move away, in the same rhythmic march that had brought them there.

"What are they doing?"

On Sailor Moon's face, confusion mixed with relief.

"Setsuna…" Neptune whispered just loud enough for the rest of them to catch. "She said she knew what had drawn the intruders here! She's leading them elsewhere…"

"It must be back to Muugen…"

"Let's go! We have to beat them there!"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AN: Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think! Ja ne:) **

**Myosotis**


	16. The Last Battle

**AN: The next two chapters are actually designed to go together, and form the next part of the story. I just broke them up for easier reading:) Enjoy!**

**Chapter XIV-The Last Fight**

After leaving the park in a hurry, the seven Senshi had arrived at the pond long before any of the creatures. Setsuna had had the time to outline an explanation for all of them, and suggest the plan she had devised.

"Yes! We'll hold them in place until tomorrow…!" Sailor Moon wore her determined expression. "Then, you'll have your powers back, we'll all combine our forces… open a rift to send them back…and we'll all be safe again!"

"Sailor Moon!" Uranus turned to the leader. "We'll keep them busy here. You should head to safety."

The smaller blonde started to protest, when she caught the looks of the rest of her friends. They all nodded in consent. That irritated her.

"I'm not a baby! I'm going to stay and fight!"

"Princess…it's our job to protect y—"

"And I'm very grateful for that!" she cut Neptune off in a somewhat cross tone, that immediately softened. "But I have to protect all of you, as well! So stop trying to make me leave…please…I want to stay and fight with you."

None of them insisted, as a more pressing issue presented itself: Mercury's computer detected the group of foreign creatures approaching. The four Inner Senshi gathered around their leader, while Neptune and Uranus again took the flanks. Setsuna drew a small distance away from them.

"Damn it…" she murmured to herself.

The feeling of helplessness angered her. In one last attempt, she gripped her transformation wand.

**"Pluto Planet Power, Make Up!"**

The others turned in surprise, but understanding dawned on their faces.

"Damn it!" Setsuna cursed again, this time out loud. She lowered her face in her hands, and shook her head, feeling utterly useless.

"Please…" Sailor Moon had come closer, and was watching her with caring blue eyes, "don't worry. It doesn't matter that you can't transform…you've helped us so much already…!"

"I wish…I wish I could do more than just watch."

"I know. But this is only temporary…until you can use your powers again, we'll protect you, alright?"

The older girl nodded with a small sigh.

"Thank you" she whispered to Sailor Moon.

A shout of warning came from Uranus:

"They're here!"

And the cluster of creatures flooded the area.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The Senshi had avoided violence for as long as they could.

At first, the creatures simply moved around the pond, until one had discovered the hybrid plants lying on the ground. Then, they had all swarmed that patch, in a terrifying display of chaotic dances. They clung to the illusion of familiarity for as long as it took the flimsy plants to tear under their tugs and pushes. Soon, there was nothing left of the hybrids.

The Sailor soldiers had been keeping a respectable distance, watching the creatures with unease. They had wondered how long the apparent truce would last.

It took a while for the intruders to realize what they had believed to be _home _had been but a weak surrogate. Once they did realize it, however, they erupted into panic and fury. They turned on each other and eventually…

…eventually, they discovered their previous antagonists.

And proceeded to vent their wrath.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**"Venus Love Me Chain!"**

The warrior of Love used her attack to bring down a tall metal pole, blocking the creatures' path. Divided into smaller groups, the intruders had started to advance towards the Senshi.

"Alright! Let's try to break them up—but we won't use the combined attack unless _absolutely _necessary!"

They split up, and attempted to divert the creatures. Running, jumping, dodging and hiding, they tried to preserve their powers for later—the eclipse (and hopefully, the end of the battle!) was still many hours away. They resorted to improvisations: Sailor Mars caused a heap of rubble to crumble, successfully distracting some of the enemies for a while. Uranus started her car, and let it run straight into the most numerous group of creatures.

The strategy worked for some time. But it was not enough.

"Aaah! Get away, get away! Everyone, help!"

Sailor Moon found herself driven backwards, until she had no place left to retreat. Her back against a boulder twice her size, she watched the creatures close the circle around her.

"Sailor Moon! **Sparkling Wide Pressure!**" The attack hit the closing group on a side; it slowed them down, but did not break the formation. "Hang on!"

"They won't move back!"

The blonde tried to run, but she was completely surrounded. Their silence was frightening. She could hear the others focus their attacks on the creatures that had trapped her, but no effect was apparent. They only came nearer and nearer, the white slits on their mock-faces more visible than every before. She raised her arms to protect herself. She could almost feel their breaths on her skin, as they reached out long limbs…

…and suddenly, a wave of red roses erupted from above, creating a momentary barrier between her and the assailants.

"Sailor Moon!" The man's voice soothed her pounding heart. "Here, grab my hand!"

From atop the large boulder, Tuxedo Mask pulled her to safety. He then jumped out from amidst the enemy group, and landed them both a respectable distance away.

"Tuxedo Mask…!" came a few relieved sighs.

"Sailor Chibi-Moon!"

Mercury's surprised cry was elicited by the sight of the small pink-haired warrior appearing from behind the black cape.

"Small Lady…!" Setsuna gasped in disbelief. "Why…?"

"We're here to help" the man said reassuringly. "What's the plan…?"

"They're regrouping!" Venus alerted.

"I'd say we're done playing nice. Let's show them who they're messing with! **World Shaking!**"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	17. Final Strike

**Chapter XV-Final Strike**

**"Moon Spiral Heart…Attack!"**

In a daze of colors, Sailor Moon's attack hit a few of the enemies. They were stunned for a short while, but a dozen others were ready to take their place. That had been the process up to the present moment: one of the Sailors attacked, temporarily disabling some creatures. But numerous others stepped in their places, and kept coming, until the effects of the first attack wore off. Needless to say, the Senshi were growing tired, while the enemies' resources seemed infinite.

"I think…it's time…to try the joint attack…" Mercury's voice came in ragged breaths. "At this pace…we'll soon be too tired to use it…"

Sailor Moon wiped a drop of sweat off her brow, and nodded gravely. The five Inners joined their hands, and cried out the phrases of their combined attack.

One of the creatures vanished, but the others turned even more agitated. They split into numerous groups, surrounding the Senshi on all sides.

Uranus and Neptune joined the others, and the seven together could muster the energy for another effective attack.

"That's not enough!" Mercury cried, as the countless creatures swarmed on them. "We have to try again!"

"You'll end up killing yourselves!" Chibi Moon shouted. "We can't get all of them!"

"I don't see a choice" Uranus said sternly. She saw the others nod, and looked towards Sailor Moon. "Remember…we have to do this."

Their leader nodded in return. Once more they joined their hands, the eight of them this time, and focused on the cluster of creatures closest to their group.

Setsuna watched in anguish as the others fought. It was obvious they stood no chance of winning.

"Again!" Uranus shouted, even as she fell to a knee in exhaustion. The rest of the Senshi were no better condition.

Setsuna sought Chibi Moon with a frantic gaze. The pink-haired child panted from the effort, but was already preparing to strike again. Next to her, wearing the exact same expression, was Sailor Moon.

"Alright everyone", the blonde encouraged, "we'll try again. We'll make it eventually."

"It's no use, you'll die trying!"

Tuxedo Mask's voice was marred with concern, as he urged her to stop.

Sailor Moon gave him a loving look, just as she caught Mercury's hand, ready for another attack.

"Lend me your powers…" she whispered.

The man watched her transfixed. He suddenly turned to Setsuna, a desperate plea in his eyes.

"How can we help them? Please…"

She heard them shout their attack one more time. The effects were devastating…while the numbers of the intruding antagonists had dwindled, so had the girl's forces. They could barely stand—barely breathe! And even so, they were relentlessly going to risk another attack.

"We…can't…"

It pained her to say the words. She felt angry at herself, angry at the fates for playing such a cruel prank. The girls stood no chance…and their sacrifice would be in vain… They would die trying to defend the world…and she was compelled to watch them.

"_I_ can't…"

She forced herself to look at her friends. Tiredly, they were joining hands once more. They gestures reflected resignation—a silent acceptance of a destiny they would inevitably face…yet their expressions held hope. As they watched each other, they passed a wordless encouragement among them. And then, their eyes turned to her…

…and she thought she could see a plea in all of them…

…and thought Tuxedo Mask chose the moment to voice it…

"Please…we have to find another way…"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Setsuna closed her eyes. She felt herself falling, all outside noises suddenly drowned by a soft, slow tune echoing off her every thought…

…and in her mind, she saw herself standing on the edge of a river of fire, and the song resounded from beneath each blazing wave…

_Why am I seeing this…?_

…and inside the melody, there was a voice that called to her…

_Who are you…? What do you want from me?_

_Listen…_

…and the tune played far away, at the back of her mind, and only erratic pieces of music reached her…

_It's so distant…I…can't hear it right…_

_You don't need to hear it…_

…and the sounds were further stifled, and only a soft, rocking rhythm carried to her…

_Listen…_

_But if I can't hear… how can I listen…?_

_Feel…_

…and she allowed herself to take in the swaying rhythm of the fiery river…

_…this new power…?_

_It has always been within you…_

…and note after muffled note of the melody rang in harmony with her own heartbeats…

_I feel it…the rhythm of the world around me…_

…and she could feel her entire being resonate with the distant melody…

_This, too, is your power…_

_…and it's your choice…_

…and she opened her eyes with a new understanding. The river of fire flowing around her vanished, replaced by the more familiar view of the battle scene.

**"Pluto Planet Power…"**

Still supporting each other's weight, the rest of the Senshi stopped their weary attack to watch her in surprise.

**"Make…Up!"**

For one moment, she felt the enormous strain, as she tapped into the energy that the eclipse had kept at bay.

_It's my choice…but not really a choice, is it?…_

She clenched her fingers around the transformation wand, and focused solely on willing her guardian planet to overcome the obstacles. In a shower of mist and ice, she changed into Sailor Pluto. The Time Staff materialized in her hand.

_Help me, my Garnet Orb...help me use this power I never before needed…_

She felt the energy flux lessen, and knew she had to hurry. Ignoring the amazed glances she received, the warrior of Time advanced towards the shadow-like creatures. In her mind, she could still hear the intermittent notes of the faint tune, and in every inch of her body, she felt the powerful rhythm of the melody.

Oblivious to anything happening, the intruders continued their menacing advance.

"**Pluto…"** The words formed in her mind, just as the cadence pulsed through her every fiber. **"…Underworld Vibration!"**

The Garnet Orb at the top of the staff glowed bright, and instinctively, she aimed it at the creatures.

"Impossible…"

Wide-eyed, Neptune watched the attack unfold.

Waves of energy emanated from the Time Staff. As they glided towards their target, the contours of the surrounding world seemed to distort ever-so-slightly. The waves finally washed over the enemies…

…and the shadowy creatures slowly shimmered out of existence.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AN: The idea that Sailor Pluto could have another attack came mostly from the SuperS episodes where the Inners discovered the extent of their powers (especially from "Ami's Melody of the Heart"). Since Uranus and Neptune both use an attack involving their talismans, it did not seem awfully implausible for Pluto to have one. I hope the phrasing sounds plausible as well;) **

**As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the newest chapters! The final chapter, "Aftermath", is coming up soon! Thank you for staying with the story:),**

**Myosotis**


	18. Aftermath

**AN: This chapter comes with a warning (but don't worry, it's nothing we haven't seen before in the anime/manga :) ). **

**Chapter XVI-Aftermath**

When Sailor Pluto opened her eyes again, she eyed the former battle scene. The ruins were still as ever, and no passer-by could have guessed what had just transpired. The other Senshi were recovering from the long fight—they were all still panting from the effort, while sweat trickled down their temples. They had finished the battle by destroying the last two intruders who had escaped her surprising attack. Now, they all eyed her in concern mixed with shock.

The adrenaline rush was starting to wear off, and the aftereffects of her actions were catching up.

She had forced her transformation, drawing on an energy that was now rapidly ebbing. She could feel her knees weakening, as her forces dwindled. The loud pounding in her ears dulled the alarmed voices of her friends. She looked up at the night sky. The contours of the white moon faded, as her vision darkened. She was distantly aware of someone supporting her entire weight, that her body could no longer keep up.

Then, the thumping in her ears died down, and the voices stopped, and she could hear no more than the distant notes of a fading tune.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Puu!" Sailor Uranus watched the child rush to her friend's side. "What's wrong…?"

The blonde shook her head, as an unwelcome surge of panic swept through her.

"What is this…" From behind the blue-screened visor, Mercury gave them a troubled look. "Her energy is being depleted for no apparent reason!"

Neptune came closer to her partner.

"Wake up…!" came Chibi Moon's plaintive voice.

Pluto's lips formed a small smile. She opened her eyes slowly, and noticed the young princess knelt beside her on the ground, while Uranus and Neptune stood above the two of them.

"Small Lady…"

Her brow furrowed, as she recalled something. She swallowed hard, and spoke in a low whisper:

"Small Lady…I'm sorry. For my earlier words…I wish you hadn't heard them."

The child lowered her eyes. The memory of Setsuna's harshness towards the botanist was still fresh in her memory.

"I know you didn't mean it…"

The green-haired warrior shook her head. She took another deep breath, and felt, with a beginning of panic, that her tired lungs could not get enough air.

"I hope you can believe that…"

She hesitated for a moment, before speaking the next words.

"Because…I was hoping…you could apologize in my stead…"

Uranus and Neptune blanched visibly as they heard the request. Yet, Chibi Moon misinterpreted the words; she nodded eagerly.

"I'll talk to Tsumbono-san…he knows you didn't mean it…we'll both go…" For the first time, a deeper meaning seemed to cross her mind, but the child quickly dismissed it. "Right…?"

Pluto pushed herself upwards to a more comfortable position, leaning against a fallen tree-trunk. She shuddered as she realized how much effort it took to do that.

"Haruka…"

"I _don't_ want to hear it" the blonde said curtly, ignoring the outraged glances she received from the Sailor Team. "Just…shut up, alright? Save your energy or…something…"

"Haruka" Pluto repeated, intentionally calling her friend by her name, "stop being pigheaded…"

She smiled at the Uranus' expression. Then she lowered her tone so that no one but the three of them—and Chibi Moon, who had not moved—could hear. Her voice came out in irregular breaths.

"You'll have to be there for Hotaru…when her powers awaken…be strong enough to keep them in check at first…"

Uranus had half-kneeled on the ground, to look her friend levelly in the eyes. Wordlessly, the warrior of Wind nodded. Neptune turned her face away, as a solitary tear ran down her cheek.

"Michiru…this will teach me…to ever doubt the powers of your mirror again…"

The aqua-haired warrior tried to form a small, quiet laughter, but it came out a muted sob.

Pluto watched them both with a tinge of sadness. There was so much more to say…

"Don't leave the Princess's side...you have to—"

"No!"

Chibi Moon's cry interrupted her. The pink-haired girl had witnessed the exchange in silence—until her childish innocence wore off, allowing for the true meaning of Sailor Pluto's words to reach her.

"Stop talking like that! Everything is over, see? The creatures are all gone…!"

Setsuna shook her head. The pounding in her ears had returned; it gradually drowned out the sounds and visions of the outside world. She could still hear Small Lady's plaintive voice:

"Please, hold on…!"

Her garnet eyes closed for a second, but shot open again almost instantly. A tinge of fear surfaced from their depths; almost immediately, it was replaced by a tranquil acceptance.

"It will be alright, my Small Lady…"

"No…it won't, how can you say that?"

"Because I know a secret…Time is on our side. It's really…the ultimate optimist…if left alone, it will—rest assured!—choose the best path for everyone…if untampered with…it will make everyone happy. So this may be the best way for everyone really…"

"NO! NO! No, do something!" Chibi Moon turned a beseeching look to the blonde leader. "You can help her! You have to be able to! I know you can!"

Sailor Moon forced back the tears, and joined her hands in a silent prayer.

"Please, Silver Crystal, lend me your power! Help Pluto!"

The brooch on her chest glowed bright, and she felt warm energy pouring into the Crystal. _Such power…_ The effort to concentrate all her strength into the healing almost drowned out the others' alarmed shouts that urged her to stop. _I know what price I could pay…I'll make it through… please help her…!_

Chibi Moon's red eyes grew wide with sorrow, as her heart felt torn between two choices. Should she wait and hope for the best? Usagi had used that energy before, and lived through it…but could they take the chance? She felt she could stop Sailor Moon's effort, and possibly save her life…but at the cost of the life of her dear friend.

As the light from the Silver Crystal grew brighter, the young princess made her choice.

Yet, before she could act on it, an even more intense light shone brilliantly on the Sailor Warriors. _No! _In Sailor Moon's hands, the crystal returned to its normal state under her bewildered gaze. Outlined against the night sky, a translucent figure appeared.

"Queen Serenity…"

The figure spoke, her gentle voice resounding among the Senshi:

"I'm sorry, Sailor Moon. The Silver Crystal at this moment cannot help you, and I can't allow you to throw away your life trying to achieve the impossible."

Tears streamed across the blonde warrior's face; her fists clenched in protest.

"There has to be something to do…! Things weren't supposed to turn out like this!"

Behind her, the others held their breaths, clinging onto that last hope. They regarded Serenity's specter with entreating gazes.

The former Queen's eyes fixed on Sailor Pluto's face.

"My dearest friend…I wish I didn't have to make this choice." Her silhouette bent over the fallen Senshi's limp body, and reached a hand as if to touch her face. "I am betraying you to avoid any risks…"

Silence fell for a long moment, punctuated only by stifled sobs the Sailors could not repress.

"I'll do it!" Chibi Moon's distressed cry broke the quiet. "I can wield the Crystal, I know I can, I did it before! I'm less important that Sailor Moon, it can't be such a great risk…" Even as she spoke, she realized the futility of her effort, and her words were tainted by tears. "Please, let me do it… this can't end like this…I don't want Puu to die…please, let me…" Sailor Moon moved to comfort her, and the child sought solace in the older girl's warm embrace. "Please…"

Serenity's gaze moved from the young princess's tear-stained face, to Pluto's closed eyes, to the sorrowful expressions on everyone's faces. She shook her head almost violently.

"No…No!"

The Queen of the Silver Millenium stood tall once more, her transparent figure towering over the others.

"Sailor Moon…little one…please, trust that I am doing the right thing. Even though it might hurt more."

She gave all of them one last, affectionate look, then closed her eyes. Between her hands, a phantom image of the Silver Crystal glowed bright, eliciting a faint echo from the real crystal.

"It is done…" she whispered, just as Pluto's body was enveloped by a golden shimmer, and slowly faded from sight. With it, the Queen's specter vanished, leaving behind an amalgam of heartbroken sobs and bitter tears.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AN: If any of you feels particular enmity towards me at this moment…err, I understand. But please don't hate me yet! There's an epilogue coming up, so this story is not over yet. However, I do need to see some opinions before I get to the next (and last) chapter. Thank you for staying with the story this far! Please review! **

**Myosotis**


	19. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Chibiusa silently ate her dinner, and asked to be excused before anyone else was finished. Ikuko and Kenji Tsukino gave her worried looks, but Usagi discreetly gestured to her parents not to question the child.

The young girl went up to her room. She climbed the bed, brought her knees to her chest and leaned her forehead against her arms. Silently, she mourned the loss of a dear friend.

She could barely remember what had happened after the translucent figure of the former Queen had vanished. The Senshi had wordlessly parted ways. Tuxedo Mask had brought her and Sailor Moon home. Usagi had asked her to sleep in her room, and held her close all night. Chibiusa could not remember at which point she had fallen asleep from exhaustion.

The next day, the two of them had met the girls, and Mamo-chan, and gone to watch the eclipse. While the phenomenon elicited people's enthusiasm and curiosity, it held a special, more tragic meaning for the seven of them. Together, they had said one tardy goodbye. It had been strange…the eclipse had seemed ominously long and the darkness outside had echoed with the sorrow within their hearts. But time healed all wounds. Chibiusa had promised herself, and the memory of her dearest friend, to be mature. She had not shed another tear.

Now, as she stood alone in her dusky bedroom, tears came to her eyes again.

"It's not fair…" she sobbed to the empty room.

A soft knock came on the door.

"Chibiusa-chan…?" Ikuko-mama peered inside. "You have a visit…someone's waiting downstairs."

The child looked up, and nodded.

"I'm coming."

As she reached the living room, Ryou Tsumbono stood waiting. Next to him was little Ryuu, shyly clinging to his father's leg. Agape, Chibiusa stopped in her tracks. For one moment, she wanted to run back up to her room…but it was too late. The scientist had seen her.

"Hello, Chibiusa-chan!"

"Hello…" she echoed faintly.

For one moment, none of them spoke. Tsumbono uneasily changed his weight from one leg to the other. Eventually, he opened his mouth again:

"I'm here…I mean…I'm here to…" He swallowed hard and started again. "I know nothing can change my mistakes, but…I'd like to apologize."

The child gave a small shrug.

"Okay…"

The man looked at her gravely.

"Fortunately…my errors did not have the dire consequences we could have expected. I don't know what you did about it" he said, referring to Chibiusa and her friends, "and I think it is better I don't know… but I would like you to know that I am thankful."

She nodded, hoping he would end it at that, and leave. Hoping he would stop sounding so happy and relieved about something that had claimed Pluto's life.

"And, Chibiusa-chan…there's one more reason I came to see you."

"Oh…?"

Again, he seemed uncomfortable. He cleared his voice.

"I'd…like to apologize to your friend, as well. I was hoping you could tell me where to…find...her...?"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

That night, Haruka's car drove down the empty road along the shore. Silently, the two remaining Outer Senshi shared a promise. They had intended to leave Tokyo to raise Hotaru away from the agitation of the city…but now, they were going to stay.

Michiru touched Haruka's hand, and the blonde squeezed hers reassuringly.

Things would be alright, eventually.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Things would be alright.

Chibiusa curled under the blanket, and promised herself she would be strong. Somewhere, far at the back of her mind, she nursed the secret hope that, perhaps, that was not the end… She saved a good thought for her friend.

Then, she turned, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

And she dreamt…

**The End**

**AN: Alright, now you can hate me. Or…you can reread the last two parts of this epilogue, and wonder if there's any clue for a sequel there. If you think there is, let me know;) To be honest, I had not so much a sequel in mind, as a somewhat different story. I've always wondered how SuperS season would have been with Uranus and Neptune in it...would anyone be interested in reading that? Please let me know;) **

**Thank you for reading this story, and more so to those who took the time to leave a review:) I am really grateful for your words, and as always, I would love your comments on the story. **

**Hugs,**

**Myosotis**


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